Paul Mescal is not only at the peak of his career but also increasingly joining more significant projects. His great rise to be recognized as one of the most talented young stars in Hollywood occurred in 2020, and his stint on Normal People was marked by critical acclaim and public attention.
His big break came after being chosen to portray Connell Waldron in the television adaptation of Sally Rooney‘s novel. The series was a huge success both critically and with the audience, and the Irish actor’s performance was particularly praised, as well as his chemistry with Daisy Edgar-Jones.
Following his success on television, his debut in the film industry came, with Aftersun being one of his best films to date. The 27-year-old rising star managed to receive an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Calum, having only three titles in his repertoire, mostly from independent cinema.
What are Paul Mescal’s upcoming films?
Gladiator 2
Paul is the one who was chosen to bring the main character, Lucius, to life. The story will take place 20 years after the events of the original film and will follow the grown-up son of Lucilla, who assumes the legacy of Maximus.
The actor will be accompanied by some of the most iconic stars in the industry right now. Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, Joseph Quinn and Derek Jacobi are among them. Connie Nielsen will be back to portray Lucilla once again.
Ridley Scott is the one in charge of directing the film, based on a script written by David Scarpa. The release date was recently announced, and the sequel is set to hit the big screen on November 22, 2024.
Hamnet
This time, the young star will bring to life an iconic playwright and poet: William Shakespeare. Hamnet will be starred by Jessie Buckley as Agnes Shakespeare, with whom he previously shared the screen in the Oscar-nominated “The Lost Daughter” by Maggie Gyllenhaal.
During an interview with Radhika Seth from British Vogue, Mescal confessed, “That script… it’s just devastating. I can’t wait. If I told a younger version of myself that this would be [filming] this year, I wouldn’t believe it. I’ve obviously been in a film with Jessie before, but we’ve never shared the screen or a working process together“.
He then added, “I think she’s one of our greats today. And Chloé is someone I can’t wait to get into the weeds with and get into the heads of these characters“, referring to director Chloé Zhao, who was accompanied by Maggie O’Farrell as the screenwriter.
The film will follow the life of Agnes, Shakespeare’s wife, who struggles to overcome the loss of their only son, Hamnet. It’s a human and heart-wrenching story set against the backdrop of the creation of Shakespeare’s most famous work, “Hamlet”.
Merrily We Roll Along
Paul is ready to immerse himself once again in a musical, and soon it will be his turn for the film adaptation of Merrily We Roll Along. There, he will bring to life Franklin Shepard, alongside Beanie Feldstein and Ben Platt in the roles of Mary Flynn and Charley Kringas.
The film is a musical comedy about coming of age and will be directed by Richard Linklater. It is based on the musical by Stephen Sondheim and George Furth, which debuted in 1981 and is, in turn, adapted from the 1934 play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart.
Jason Blum has joined the project as a producer to bring the film to life under his company, Blumhouse Productions. The story follows Shepard, a talented Broadway composer who leaves his theatrical career in New York and all his friends to produce movies in Los Angeles.
The narrative unfolds over 20 years in reverse chronological order, so it was announced that the production would be filmed every two years to reflect the characters’ ages over those 20 years, similar to “Boyhood”, which was filmed over 12 years and also directed by Linklater.
Filming was halted in 2023 due to the writers and actors’ strike, so it has not been confirmed whether it has resumed or when it will. This means there is still no scheduled release date, indicating that we may have to wait quite a while to finally see the title on the big screen.
The History of Sound
The actor continues with LGBT romantic dramas, and this time it’s the adaptation of Oliver Hermanus‘s The History of Sound. Scripted by Ben Shattuck, the film will bring Mescal to the screen as Lionel and Josh O’Connor as David.
The story is set during World War I and follows two young men who set out to record the lives, voices, and music of their fellow Americans.
Certainly, drama and high-voltage scenes seem to be present in Paul’s upcoming production, which has been reported to be in production. Film Updates reported on February 27 that filming had already begun, so we might see the film debut in 2025.
