Ridley Scott denies replacing Paul Mescal in new film

A representative for director Ridley Scott has denied rumors that the filmmaker replaced actor Paul Mescal in the upcoming film ‘The Dog Stars’ due to personal dissatisfaction.

Reports from journalist Matthew Belloni suggested that Scott considered Mescal insufficiently ‘masculine’ following the box office performance of ‘Gladiator II’ and blamed the actor for the sequel's underwhelming results. The rumors claimed these tensions led to Mescal being replaced by Jacob Elordi in Scott's new project.

Scott's representatives clarified to Entertainment Weekly that the director ‘loves Paul’ and was eager to collaborate again after their work on ‘Gladiator II’. They stated that Mescal's departure was strictly due to scheduling conflicts, as the actor is committed to Sam Mendes’ upcoming Beatles biopic series, where he will portray Paul McCartney. While Scott was disappointed to lose Mescal, the studio noted he was pleased to work with Elordi.