David Scarpa: Celebs Rumors

“Aftersun” star Paul Mescal is in talks to star in the “Gladiator” sequel from Paramount Pictures, according to an individual with knowledge of the project.The first “Gladiator” movie, which was released in 2000, garnered 11 Oscar nominations and five wins, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Russell Crowe. The film raked in $460 million at the global box office.The story for the sequel would focus on Lucius (Mescal), the son of Lucilla (who was played by Connie Nielsen in the 2000 film) who was saved by Maximus (Crowe) by the end of the first film.Ridley Scott is directing, as well as producing with Michael Pruss via Scott Free and Doug Wick & Lucy Fisher via Red Wagon Entertainment.David Scarpa is writing the script. Also returning from the original film are costume designer Janty Yates and production designer Arthur Max.DreamWorks was the studio behind the original 2000 film and Paramount is currently in negotiations to land the project. Universal, which co-produced the 2000 film, has the option to come on board as co-financier.Scott will first direct “Napoleon” which Joaquin Phoenix attached to star.Mescal first broke out on Hulu’s “Normal People,” for which he garnered a BAFTA award and an Emmy nomination for his role.

EXCLUSIVE: Ridley Scott always said he would return to the Colosseum to continue the story of his blockbuster epic Gladiator, and it looks like we are getting close to having that wish granted. Sources tell Deadline that Normal People star Paul Mescal is in negotiations to lead the sequel to the Oscar-winning pic, with Scott returning to the directing chair. Scott also will produce, along with Scott Free President Michael Pruss as well as Doug Wick & Lucy Fisher via Red Wagon Entertainment. David Scarpa penned the script.

Anna Franklin Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby will start shooting next week in Malta on Ridley Scott’s film “Kitbag,” about Napoleon’s rise to power. Polish cinematographer Dariusz Adam Wolski is lensing, according to Film New Europe. Phoenix, who plays the French emperor, and Kirby, who plays his wife Josephine, arrive in Malta this week, according to Times of Malta, quoting sources in the local film industry.

EXCLUSIVE: Vanessa Kirby is Ridley Scott’s choice to play Empress Josephine opposite Joaquin Phoenix’s Napoleon in Kitbag, the historical drama for Apple that begins production this spring. She will replace Jodie Comer, who exited the project over scheduling. Her reps are negotiating a deal for Kirby, who is coming off an Oscar nomination for her gut-wrenching performance in Pieces of a Woman.

While Jodie Comer had looked to reunite with her The Last Duel director Ridley Scott this month on the set of his Napoleon Bonaparte biopic Kitbag, the actress has now made her exit from the project, citing Covid-related scheduling issues, Deadline has confirmed.

HBO is developing Londongrad, a limited series based on Alan Cowell’s book The Terminal Spy, about poisoned KBG agent Alexander Litvinenko, with Benedict Cumberbatch set to star as Litvinenko, Deadline has confirmed. Cumberbatch also will executive produce the project via his Sunnymarch production banner.

British actor Benedict Cumberbatch is coming off playing a Cold War-era civilian spy in the thriller “The Courier” and is getting another shot at the genre for a new HBO limited series, “Londongrad,” based on the book “The Terminal Spy” by Alan Cowell. According to Variety, Cumberbatch will play real-life former KGB Agent Alexander Litvinenko, who famously was poisoned while in England with the radioactive isotope polonium-2010 back in 2006 after defecting from Russia.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterBenedict Cumberbatch is set to star in the limited series “Londongrad” currently in development at HBO, Variety has learned exclusively.Based on the book “The Terminal Spy” by Alan Cowell, the series tells the true story of Alexander Litvinenko, the KGB agent and later defector killed by poisoning with the radioactive isotope polonium-210 in 2006 in England. Cumberbatch will star as Litvinenko and will also serve as an executive producer on the project under his Sunnymarch banner.David Scarpa is writing “Londongrad” and will also executive produce.

Benedict Cumberbatch will star in a limited series for HBO, “Londongrad,” where he’ll play Alexander Litvinenko, a former KGB agent who was poisoned by Polonium-210 in 2006. The series is based on the book “The Terminal Spy” by Alan Cowell. It is currently in development.

Disappointment Blvd.A24 will finance and produce the film the plot of which is described as “an intimate, decades-spanning portrait of one of the most successful entrepreneurs of all time,” according to Deadline.It is likely that Phoenix will shoot Disappointment Blvd before the Ridley Scott movie Kitbag, in which Phoenix will play Napoleon Bonaparte.That film will track the historical figure’s origins and ruthless rise to power, as well as his often volatile relationship with his wife, Josephine and is set to be released via Apple TV+.Written by David Scarpa, who previously worked with Scott to pen the script for the director’s 2017 movie All The Money In The World, Kitbag will be the first time Scott and Phoenix have teamed up since

Kitbag, which stars Joaquin Phoenix, is set to be released via Apple TV+.Kitbag, which Scott will direct and produce, will see Phoenix take on the role of French emperor and military leader Napoleon Bonaparte. The film will track the historical figure’s origins and ruthless rise to power, as well as his often volatile relationship with his wife, Josephine.Written by David Scarpa, who previously worked with Scott to pen the script for the director’s 2017 movie All The Money In The World, Kitbag will be the first time Scott and Phoenix have teamed up since 2000’s Gladiator, in which Phoenix played Roman Emperor Commodus.Speaking to Deadline about Kitbag, Scott said: “Napoleon is a man I’ve always been fascinated by.

Apple has landed theJoaquin Phoenix and Ridley Scott reteam Kitbag. Phoenix will star as the French military leader and emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte, in the film that will track his origins and, as the logline reads, "swift, ruthless climb to emperor, viewed through the prism of his addictive and often volatile relationship with his wife and one true love, Josephine."David Scarpa penned the screenplay.

Ridley Scott’s Napoleon Bonaparte biopic with Joaquin Phoenix has been given the green light by Apple Studios.

EXCLUSIVE: Apple Studios has committed to finance and produce Kitbag, the Napoleon Bonaparte epic that Ridley Scott will direct, with Oscar-winning Joker star Joaquin Phoenix playing the French emperor and military leader. Production will begin in early 2022 in the UK. Scott and Kevin Walsh will produce for Scott Free.

Ridley Scott is bringing Napoleon Bonaparte to the big screen with Joaquin Phoenix.

Two decades after the release of Gladiator, Ridley Scott and Joaquin Phoenix are looking to reteam on another historical drama. Scott is set to direct Phoenix in aNapoleon Bonaparte movie Kitbag, which is in early development.David Scarpa (All the Money in the World) will write the screenplay.

Joaquin Phoenix is set to reunite with Ridley Scott for a new film about Napoleon.The actor and the filmmaker, who previously teamed up for the 1999 epic Gladiator, will join forces again for Kitbag, which explores the French Emperor’s origins.The film’s title is inspired by the saying “There is a general’s staff hidden in every soldier’s kitbag”.The script will be written by David Scarpa.Scott has just wrapped production on another historical epic, The Last Duel, in Ireland, and he is set to begin production on Gucci in Italy in March (2021).

Mike Fleming Jr Co-Editor-in-Chief, FilmEXCLUSIVE: Ridley Scott will team with Joaquin Phoenix for Kitbag, with the Oscar-winning Joker star to play French military leader and emperor Napoleon. Pic is set at 20th Century Studios, where Scott Free has its deal.