Ridley Scott has denied reports that he fired Paul Mescal from his upcoming film ‘The Dog Stars’ because the actor was not “masculine enough” in ‘Gladiator II’. A representative for the director told Entertainment Weekly that the claims are “not true”, insisting Scott remains fond of Mescal and was eager to reunite with him on the project.
The denial follows a report from Puck’s newsletter ‘What I’m Hearing’, in which writer Matthew Belloni alleged that Scott blamed Mescal for the mixed reception to ‘Gladiator II’ and subsequently replaced him with Jacob Elordi on ‘The Dog Stars’. The 2024 sequel, which starred Mescal as a man seeking revenge in Rome’s Colosseum, grossed $462 million worldwide and holds an 80 per cent “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, though many critics and audiences considered it inferior to the 2000 original.
According to the representative, Mescal did not appear in ‘The Dog Stars’ because his rehearsal schedule for another film clashed with production. “Ridley loves Paul and was excited to work with him on Dog Stars after having such a great collaboration on Gladiator II,” the statement read. “Sadly, Paul’s rehearsal schedule for another film prevented him from ultimately doing Ridley’s film. While he was disappointed to lose Paul, he was thrilled to get the chance to work with Jacob, who was excellent in the role.”
At the time of the casting change, reports indicated that Mescal’s commitment to Sam Mendes’ forthcoming four-part Beatles biopic was the reason he could not work with Scott again. Mescal is slated to play Paul McCartney in the films, which are scheduled for release in April 2028. The actor and his co-stars were recently spotted recreating the famous ‘Abbey Road’ album cover for the project.
‘The Dog Stars’, which features Elordi in the lead role, underperformed at the box office last weekend, a development that may have proven fortuitous for Mescal given the negative attention surrounding the recasting. The film’s commercial struggles have drawn renewed scrutiny to the initial reports about why Mescal left the project.
‘Gladiator II’ itself received a three-star review from NME, with critic Alex Flood writing: “If you loved Gladiator, it’s odds-on you’ll enjoy this too. It’s got all of the same exciting bits – swordfighting, rousing speeches, nasty poshos getting what they deserve. The problem is that’s all it gives you.” Russell Crowe, who starred in the original film, has also publicly expressed disdain for the sequel, saying it lacked a “moral core” and that the movie had “failed”.
Mescal has remained active in other areas of public life. In June, he made his first public statement in support of transgender rights, backing the London Trans+ Pride demonstration that took place in the city. The actor’s upcoming slate includes the Beatles biopics, which are expected to be a major cultural event given the enduring popularity of the band and the involvement of Mendes.