Denzel Washington and Barry Keoghan in talks to join Paul Mescal in Gladiator sequel

Denzel Washington and Barry Keoghan are in talks to appear in Paramount’s upcoming Gladiator sequel – marking a reunion between the former and American Gangster filmmaker Ridley Scott (via Deadline).

While Washington’s prospective role in the flick remains under wraps, Keoghan is said to be in talks to play the next chapter’s antagonist. If he winds up landing the part, the Oscar-nominated actor will go toe to toe with Aftersun’s Paul Mescal, who was cast as the project’s lead back in January.

Scott is lined up to direct and produce the follow-up, working with a script from All the Money in the World scribe David Scarpa. According to Variety, Keoghan might end up playing Emperor Geta, while Mescal will reportedly bring Lucius, the son of Russell Crowe’s ill-fated Maximus Decimus Meridius, and his lover Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) from the original.

Released in 2000, Gladiator charts Roman soldier Maximus’s descent into slavery at the hands of Joaquin Phoenix’s traitorous Commodus. It was nominated for 12 Academy Awards, winning five including Best Picture, and earned $460 million at the box office.

Keoghan’s previous works include Dunkirk, Eternals, The Batman, and The Banshees of Inisherin, for which he recently picked up the BAFTA award for Best Supporting Actor. He’ll next be seen opposite Wednesday and Scream 6 star Jenna Ortega in Trey Edward Shults and The Weeknd’s new movie.

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