Did Mescal's Masculinity Cost Gladiator II Its Bite?

The piece reports on rumors that Ridley Scott blamed Paul Mescal for Gladiator II’s underperformance, arguing Mescal wasn’t 'masculine enough' and linking it to Mescal’s other projects; Scott’s reps deny the claim, but the thinkpiece uses the debate to explore evolving notions of masculinity in modern cinema and even suggests Jason Statham as a potential Gladiator III lead.