Paul Mescal revealed in a new interview with Variety how he got absolutely ripped for his starring role in Gladiator II. Mescal wanted to gain 22 pounds for the role, realizing that he “needed to be big” to make his character’s gladiatorial prowess believable.

Gladiator II” may have taken over two decades to come to fruition, but star Paul Mescal is already thinking about a third installment of Ridley Scott’s epic. When asked by Variety at the film’s London premiere if he’d want to make “Gladiator 3,