Denzel Washington is in the final stage of negotiations to join the cast of Ridley Scott’s Gladiator sequel, Deadline reports.
If the deal does go through, Washington will be starring alongside Paul Mescal, who was reported to be in talks to join the film earlier this year. Barry Keoghan is also set to star in the sequel. Ridley Scott will direct and David Scarpa will handle the script.
Scott and Washington previously worked together on 2007’s American Gangster.
The first Gladiator film was released back in 2000 and went on to win five Academy Awards, including one for Best Picture. Russell Crowe, who played the character Maximus Decimus Meridius, also won Best Actor for his performance in the movie. The OG Gladiator was a hit at the box office, making $460 million during its run on a budget of just over $100 million.
The sequel is scheduled to be released next year on November 22, 2024, according to Variety.