The Big Picture
- The SAG-AFTRA strike has caused delays in major projects, but with a tentative agreement reached, production on films like Gladiator 2 are set to resume quickly.
- Pedro Pascal, who gained A-list status from The Mandalorian and The Last of Us, has Gladiator 2 as his top priority project, potentially affecting the filming of The Last of Us Season 2.
- The studios are rushing to finish their marquee projects, including Gladiator 2, to meet deadlines and satisfy audience demands.
A number of highly exciting projects have been announced, and then just as swiftly, halted in the last year. The SAG-AFTRA strike brought Hollywood to its knees—rightly so—as the actors at the top and bottom of the food chain sought to find a fairer way of compensation, as well as protection from the threat of artificial intelligence. Following last night’s tentative agreement, which was reached between SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP, production on a number of major projects is set to be fast-tracked and resume as quickly as is feasibly possible. Deadline reports that one of those is Ridley Scott‘s Gladiator 2, which had been shooting in, among other places, Malta during the summer of 2023.
The film takes a priority position for Paramount, as a sequel to an established brand, which was acclaimed upon release and garnished with awards glory. However, Deadline reports that there is another reason for haste — one of its stars, Pedro Pascal. An A-lister now, following his work on The Mandalorian and The Last of Us, has been working his way up the ranks in Hollywood for a number of years. Pascal has Gladiator 2 in “first position” in his upcoming slate.
In layman’s terms, that means that he will prioritize working on the film ahead of any other projects in the near future. With The Last of Us Season 2 — alongside his co-star Bella Ramsey — set to begin filming in early 2024, Pascal will need to finish his work on Scott’s Roman epic. If not, The Last of Us will either have to shoot without him, or postpone the start of production which would create another headache, this time for HBO, the producer of the acclaimed series. Unfortunately, for Pascal, that particular role is not one that someone else can perform for him while he just does voiceover work. However, it’s in the best interests of the studios to get their marquee pictures ready as fast as they can.
When is ‘Gladiator 2’ Going to Be Released?
Paul Mescal plays Lucius, a grown-up nephew of Joaquin Phoenix‘s Commodus from the original film, who—as a child—decides he wants to become a gladiator instead of taking the Roman throne for himself. Denzel Washington also stars in the film, as does Stranger Things’ Joseph Quinn. Gladiator 2 officially arrives in theaters on Friday, November 22nd, 2024. While you wait for Gladiator 2 and the return of The Last of Us, you can stream the series on Max right now.
The Last Of Us
Joel and Ellie, a pair connected through the harshness of the world they live in, are forced to endure brutal circumstances and ruthless killers on a trek across a post-outbreak America.
- Release Date
- January 15, 2023
- Cast
- Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, Gabriel Luna, Anna Torv, Merle Dandridge, Nico Parker, Nick Offerman, Storm Reid
- Main Genre
- Thriller
- Genres
- Thriller
- Rating
- TV-MA
- Seasons
- 2
- Franchise
- The Last of Us
- Characters By
- Neil Druckmann, Bruce Straley
- Creator
- Craig Mazin, Neil Druckmann
- Main Characters
- Joel Miller, Ellie
- Producer
- Cecil O’Connor
- Number of Episodes
- 9
Watch on Max
