Paul Mescal Turns ‘Gladiator II’ Into a Musical Masterpiece on SNL, Flies Higher Than Your Favorite Witch

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Paul Mescal just gave Gladiator II a plot twist so wild, Ridley Scott might be clutching his director’s chair. The brooding 28-year-old actor, known for his Oscar-worthy glares and ability to look deeply conflicted while shirtless, hosted Saturday Night Live on December 7 and served up a version of the epic blockbuster that no one saw coming: Gladiator: The Musical.

Yes, you read that right. Musical. Think less “Are you not entertained?” and more “Are you ready for jazz hands?”

When in Romeโ€ฆ Sing!
In a skit that might make theater kids everywhere weep with joy, Paul and the SNL gang decided to poke fun at Gladiator IIโ€™s respectable box office numbers. Respectable, yesโ€”but not quite โ€œBroadway witches belting their faces offโ€ levels of success. The bit hilariously compared Gladiator II to the Wicked movie adaptation and Moana 2, implying that Romans just couldnโ€™t keep up with singing witches and Polynesian princesses.

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Inspired by the musical juggernauts, the skit introduced songs for Gladiator: The Musical, including the soon-to-be-classic “Thereโ€™s No Place Like Rome.” (Someone call Lin-Manuel Mirandaโ€”this titleโ€™s a goldmine!)

Broomsticks in the Coliseum
The piรจce de rรฉsistance? Paul Mescal, in full Roman warrior mode, channeling his inner Elphaba (or is it Elphamescal now?) as he dramatically soared on a broomstick and belted out Defying Gravity. Yes, the Defying Gravity. Cynthia Erivo, who sings the number in the Wicked movie, might want to watch her backโ€”Paulโ€™s broomstick theatrics were a sight to behold. Who needs swords when youโ€™ve got a high note?

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The โ€˜Glickedโ€™ Phenomenon
This parody didnโ€™t come out of nowhere. Both Gladiator II and Wicked dropped into theaters on the same day, sending fans into a frenzy and coining the term “Glicked” to describe the bizarre cinematic showdown. (Glicked: when ancient Rome clashes with Emerald City, and audiences are somehow the real winners.)

So, whatโ€™s next for Paul? Maybe Gladiator II on Broadway? We can already picture the marquee: โ€œSwords, Sandals, and Show Tunes.โ€ Critics are calling it โ€œthe Cats of ancient Rome, but better.โ€

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All hail Mescal: our singing, flying, gladiator king!

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