Denzel Washington to star in Gladiator sequel “Bada”

Denzel Washington is reuniting with his American Gangster director Ridley Scott to play a ‘bada** role’ in the highly anticipated Gladiator sequel.

According to Deadline, the two-time Oscar winner, 68 — who skipped the Academy Awards this year to attend an NBA game with Spike Lee — is in final negotiations to costar alongside Paul Mescal, 27, in the epic followup to 2001’s Best Picture winner.

The reunion between Washington and Scott, 85, comes nearly 16 years after they made American Gangster, which earned rave reviews and amassed $266 million worldwide. 

Sources revealed to Deadline that Scott and the top brass at Paramount heavily courted Washington for the role, which is being kept under wraps. 

The Equalizer star was allegedly won over by the script and the ‘bada** role’ that the Alien filmmaker had written with him in mind. 

Epic reunion: Denzel Washington, 68, is reuniting with his American Gangster director Ridley Scott, 85, to play a ‘bada** role’ in the highly anticipated Gladiator sequel

Killer role: Sources revealed to Deadline that Scott and the top brass at Paramount heavily courted Washington for the role, which is being kept under wraps (Russell Crowe pictured in the original 2000 blockbuster) 

The original blockbuster starred Russell Crowe as Maximus, a Roman general who becomes the eponymous gladiator after he is sentenced to slavery by the corrupt emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix).

Crowe and Phoenix will not be returning for the sequel, as both their characters die in the events of the first film, so the followup will revolve around Lucius, the nephew of Commodus.

Mescal, who recently earned a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his performance in Aftersun, is slated to play the role of Lucius. 

Mescal reportedly won the highly coveted role after competing with practically every young leading man in Hollywood, cementing his rise to the A-list. 

And Washington’s involvement follows reports that another recent Oscar nominee, Barry Keoghan, 30, is in talks to portray the role of a Roman Emperor, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 

The Irish actor’s acclaimed turn in The Banshees Of Inisherin earned him a nod for Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards last weekend, and he has been seen in blockbusters ranging from Eternals to The Batman.

The Original Gladiator was a massive commercial and critical success, garnering $503 million worldwide and winning five Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Crowe, launching him as a major leading man.

Scott was also up for Best Director while Phoenix was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.

Their past collaboration: The reunion between Washington and Scott comes nearly 16 years after they made American Gangster, which earned rave reviews and amassed $266 million worldwide (Washington pictured in the 2007 crime drama)

Washington’s new co-star: Paul Mescal, 27, who earned an Oscar nomination for Aftersun, is slated to play the central role of Lucius. Mescal reportedly won the coveted role after competing with practically every young star in Hollywood, cementing his rise to the A-list

Winning him over: The Equalizer star was allegedly won over by the script and the ‘bada** role’ that the Alien filmmaker had written with him in mind