Paul Mescal has admitted he is feeling the pressure for his new film, Gladiator II, to be a blockbuster hit. 

Gladiator II follows Lucius Verus (Paul), the former heir to the Roman Empire who is forced into slavery and eventually pushed to fight in the Colosseum in an effort to restore glory. 

In a new interview with Variety, Paul, 28, spoke about the film, which premiered in London on Wednesday, his love of short shorts and hinted about working with his Normal People co-star Daisy Edgar-Jones.

He said: ‘I do feel the pressure, and I do feel the desire for this to make money. The box office needs a sH๏τ in the arm, and if films like Gladiator II aren’t doing it, it would be concerning. So I do feel a responsibility.

Early review from critics have called Gladiator II the ‘best movie of the year’ and a ‘true epic’ as they hailed Paul and Denzel Washington’s performances. 

Paul Mescal has admitted he is feeling the pressure for his new film, Gladiator II, to be a blockbuster hit

In a new interview, Paul spoke about the film,  his love of short shorts and hinted about working with his Normal People co-star Daisy Edgar Jones

Gladiator II follows Lucius Verus (Paul), the former heir to the Roman Empire who is forced into slavery and eventually pushed to fight in the Colosseum in an effort to restore glory 

The film is scheduled to be released in the UK on Friday, November 15.  

Paul told how there was a scene towards the end of the film where a weary Lucius mounts a horse in H๏τ pursuit of Macrinus.

The actor was keen to do his best for the action-packed moment and the other stunts so ‘trained for f***ing months’ – before director Ridley Scott changed his mind about the scene.  

Paul told the publication: ‘Two weeks before the scene, Ridley says, ‘You’re not f***ing doing it,’ and I was like, ‘What the f**k?,’ and we had this argument.’

Ridley had decided to cut the scene due to some equine advice he had received on another movie  

Paul added of the altercation: ‘I was pestering him constantly. And then the day before, he goes, ‘OK, you can do the stunt, but if you come off, it’s two Bentleys.’

He eventually pulled the move off in just a couple of takes. 

The actor, who underwent a gruelling diet and fitness regime for his transformation in the gladiator, showed off his buff body as he posed with his shift undone for one pH๏τo. 

For another look, Paul rocked a yellow cardigan and pale blue silk shirt.  

The actor, who underwent a gruelling diet and fitness regime for his transformation in the gladiator, showed off his style in a suit and tie 

For another look, Paul rocked a yellow cardigan and pale blue silk shirt

The actor is known for his sense of style and is known to wear short-shorts on his runs

Paul made waves at Men’s Fashion Week when he wore some for the Gucci show. He said of the sudden fluctuation in men wearing short shorts: ‘For the record, I don’t think I’m responsible’

Paul also dropped a huge hint he could be set to work with his former Normal People co-star Daisy again in the near future 

Read Paul’s full interview in Variety 

The actor is known for his sense of style and is known to wear short-shorts on his runs. 

Paul made waves at Men’s Fashion Week when he wore some for Sabato De Sarno’s Gucci show. 

He said of the sudden fluctuation in men wearing short shorts: ‘For the record, I don’t think I’m responsible’. 

Paul also dropped a huge hint he could be set to work with his former Normal People co-star Daisy again in the near future. 

The actor starred in the BBC series opposite Daisy, 26, back in 2020 and the pair have remained good friends.

He said despite his busy upcoming schedule: ‘We’re basically flirting around the idea of what the next thing should look like.’

In May, the pair apologised for ‘leading people on’ after cryptically posting they had ‘news to share’.

Fans of the BBC show had ᴀssumed a second series would be announced, however they then confirmed they will not be reuniting on screen, leaving many devastated.

Instead, Daisy and Paul revealed their surprise was that they would instead be hosting a marathon screening of Normal People’s first season in order to raise funds for Unicef as well as suicide prevention charity Pieta.