Dune 2 star Timothée Chalamet almost played Paul Mescal's role in Gladiator 2

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Lucius could have looked very different on screen

Timothée Chalamet as Paul Atreides in one of the best sci-fi movies of all time, Dune Part 2.
(Image credit: Warner Bros)

Before Paul Mescal became Lucius in Gladiator 2, another A-list actor was in the running to star in Ridley Scott’s highly anticipated sequel.

Dune 2 star Timothée Chalamet was being considered for the role of Maximus’ son, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Top Gun: Maverick star Miles Teller was also on the list. Ultimately, Mescal caught Scott’s attention thanks to his acclaimed performance in Hulu show Normal People.

"Any studio would always prefer to have a known star," producer Doug Wick told THR, but, he admitted, “no other actor came close” to the role.

Chalamet didn’t get to fight in the arena, but he will be back on the big screen next year as Bob Dylan in the biopic A Complete Unknown, which is already gaining Oscar buzz.

Mireia Mullor
Mireia Mullor
Contributing Writer

Mireia is a UK-based culture journalist and critic. She previously worked as Deputy Movies Editor at Digital Spy, and her work as a freelance writer has appeared in WeLoveCinema and Spanish magazines Fotogramas, Esquire, and Elle. She is also a published author, having written a book about Studio Ghibli's 'Kiki's Delivery Service' in 2023. Talking about anime and musicals is the best way to grab her attention.