Ridley Scott and Paul Mescal are already reuniting for another movie, The Dog Stars, just ahead of Gladiator 2's release. Over 20 years after the original movie won Best Picture, Scott returned to direct a sequel centered on Paul Mescal as an older Lucius, the son of Maximus and Lucilla, who becomes a gladiator after his home is invaded by the Roman army. Mescal broke out with his Emmy-nominated performance in the Hulu miniseries Normal People and his Oscar-nominated turn in A24's Aftersun, but is now set for his biggest role yet in Gladiator 2.

Now, just ahead of Gladiator 2's release this November, the director and star are already reuniting for another movie. According to Deadline, Ridley Scott has set The Dog Stars as his next directorial outing at 20th Century Studios, and Paul Mescal is in advance negotiations to star. Mark L. Smith (The Revenant) wrote the script based on the Peter Heller novel, which is set in the near future after a pandemic has decimated society. Read the full synopsis below:

The Dog Stars is set in a near future where an unnamed pandemic has decimated American society. A civilian pilot lives a lonely life on an abandoned Colorado airbase with his dog and a tough ex-marine. The two men couldn’t be more mismatched but depend on each other to fend off roaming invaders. When a random transmission beams through the radio of his 1956 Cessna, the voice ignites a hope deep inside the pilot that a better life exists outside their tightly controlled perimeter. Risking everything, he flies past his point of no return and follows its static-broken trail.

What The Dog Stars Means For Ridley Scott & Paul Mescal

Why They're Reuniting So Soon After Gladiator 2

Though he considered several options for his next project, including Paramount's Bee Gees movie, Ridley Scott reportedly found the perfect timing to reunite with the equally busy actor, and this is why they have decided to reunite so soon after Gladiator 2. The plan is to start shooting The Dog Stars next spring after Paul Mescal stars on Broadway in A Streetcar Named Desire, where he will reprise his role as Stanley Kowalski in the celebrated London production of Tennessee Williams' play.

After shooting The Dog Stars with Mescal, the Bee Gees movie should be next for Scott in the fall of 2025, continuing his prolific pace for the foreseeable future, even at 86-years-old. Though Scott and Mescal have been busy promoting Gladiator 2 ahead of its November release, the director has a tendency to line up his next project before the last one premieres. Scott shares a long-standing relationship with 20th Century Studios, built through collaborations on movies like The Martian and Prometheus.

Our Take On Ridley Scott & Paul Mescal Reuniting For The Dog Stars

They Could Become One Of The Best Director-Actor Duos

It's exciting to see Ridley Scott and Paul Mescal reuniting for The Dog Stars so soon after Gladiator 2. Mescal is an immensely talented actor whose depth and versatility have earned him critical acclaim, and he deserves to collaborate with some of the best directors and have his performances reach a wider audience on the big screen. With Gladiator 2 and now The Dog Stars, Scott's cinematic vision combined with Mescal's intense, nuanced performances could establish them as one of the best director-actor duos in Hollywood.

Gladiator 2 releases in the United States on November 22.

Source: Deadline