Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II may have won its battles, but its reception suggests the sequel lost some of the original’s glory. Critics praised the spectacle while questioning its recycled story and emotional weight, with Paul Mescal’s Lucius drawing comparisons to Russell Crowe’s Maximus. Now, insider reports claim Ridley Scott privately agrees, blaming Mescal for the film’s reception.

That makes Paul Mescal’s reported exit from Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars particularly intriguing, especially with Jacob Elordi stepping into his place.

Matthew Belloni’s Puck News report adds a sharp new twist to Paul Mescal’s exit from Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars. We all know how Mescal was replaced by Jacob Elordi shortly before filming, with his team citing scheduling conflicts involving Sam Mendes’ films on the Beatles. Belloni’s reporting, however, focuses on a more eyebrow-raising claim: Ridley Scott reportedly blamed Mescal for Gladiator II’s underperformance and may have been pressured to quit The Dog Stars due to the very fact.

"Some close to the movie say Scott blamed Mescal for Gladiator II's underperformance, believing he wasn't 'masculine' enough," Belloni said in his newsletter. The claim puts Mescal’s performance as Lucius under an even brighter spotlight, particularly after critics compared his presence with Russell Crowe’s Maximus. 

The Dog Stars switch looks considerably more intriguing after what was revealed on Puck News, especially given that Jacob Elordi ultimately took over the role. The film reportedly carried an $89 million budget and opened to just $7.7 million, while Mescal has since landed a much bigger opportunity. He is set to play Paul McCartney across four Beatles films directed by Sam Mendes, and is already making quite the hubbub with the first looks, making this particular casting detour rather fascinating in hindsight

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And with such a pearl-clutching revelation, one can hardly resist looking back at the moments when Ridley Scott himself had plenty to say about Paul Mescal.

Ridley Scott’s own comments about Paul Mescal once painted a rather different picture. After watching Normal People, Scott believed Mescal had the right look for Lucius, even seeing a resemblance to Richard Harris, and called him a “great actor.” Before filming, Scott also told the understandably nervous performer that nerves were useless to him, a blunt but liberating approach.

Scott’s reassurance continued once the enormous production overwhelmed Mescal, with the director urging him to treat Gladiator II like a normal day job and focus on his own arena. He even said a third Gladiator would be foolish to avoid, making the newly reported criticism of Mescal feel especially striking. If Scott once sounded impressed, these reports certainly make that old certainty look rather less certain. 

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Do you think that the reports are true, and if they were true, would you agree with Ridley Scott? Let us know in the comments!