Arthur Max: Last News

The Set Decorators Society of America (SDSA), which celebrates excellence in the art of Set Decoration for Film, announced its nominees. The Decor/Design categories are highlighting feature-length films of the 2021 season, which were  voted  on by the members of the SDSA.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor “Gladiator II” production designer Arthur Max is no stranger to working with costume designer Janty Yates. Over the years, they have worked on a dozen movies together, going all the way back to the first “Gladiator” film in 2004. It’s a partnership which Max affectionately calls “a serious level of collaboration.” From “Kingdom of Heaven” to “Prometheus” to “Napoleon,” director Ridley Scott relies on his trusted department heads to build worlds and design costumes.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor “Conclave” and “The Brutalist” are among the nominees for this year’s Set Decorators Society of America Awards. “Anora,” “Emilia Perez” and “The Substance” are also among the films recognized by the SDSA.

the original “Gladiator” blockbuster was filmed in a place you might not expect: a parking lot. Arthur Max, production designer for both “Gladiator” and “Gladiator II,” told The Post that the Roman tent where Maximus (Russell Crowe) was arrested in the 2000 movie had to be built in a parking lot after time ran out for filming in the English woods, which had turned into a muddy mess.In the film, Maximus was arrested for refusing to swear allegiance to the new Emperor of Rome, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), after the brat kills his father, Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris).

The epic action movie “Gladiator” had so many revisions while filming that it was a challenge to keep everyone on the same page — literally. “Gladiator” and “Gladiator II” production designer Arthur Max has revealed to The Post that during the filming of the 2001 Oscar-winning film, production staff ran out of paper in enough different colors to denote which draft of the screenplay was the most up to date.On any given film or TV series, when changes are made to the script, the revised copy is printed on paper that is a different color from the previous draft’s paper.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor Ridley Scott had one directive for production designer Arthur Max on “Gladiator II”: “I want to go big. I want to imply the grandeur of the Roman Empire,” he told the veteran artisan. Max, who has been Scott’s go-to production designer for over two decades, delivered a concept that he calls “‘Gladiator’ on steroids.” For the sequel to the 2000 blockbuster, which was filmed in Malta and Morocco among other locations, Max kept many of the same architectural details.

The Hollywood Reporter that the film’s idea is “total Hollywood bulls–t.”Written by David Scarpa, the sequel to the Russell Crowe-led 2000 historical epic showcases the world over two decades later.Paul Mescal plays the grown-up Lucius Verus II, the son of Crowe’s character, Maximus, whom Spencer Treat Clark portrayed in the original film. Lucius is the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and nephew of Commodus, who was originally played by Joaquin Phoenix.In the film’s trailer, one scene shows the Colosseum in Rome being flooded and filled with sharks.“I don’t think Romans knew what a shark was,” said Bartsch, who boasts degrees from Princeton, Harvard and UC Berkeley.Bartsch did note that the Romans really did fill the Colosseum with water for various naval battles.Another scene from the film shows rhinos charging into the Colosseum, which Bartsch notes is only partially accurate.Bartsch explained that Martial, a Roman poet, “wrote a poem in 80 AD about a rhinoceros tossing a bull up to the sky” — however it would have been a single-horned rhino and not a two-horned one shown in the film.The historian noted that Scott got the news element wrong in the film, explaining that Romans did not read newspapers while sipping tea in a cafe, because newspapers were invented some 1,200 years later.“They did have daily news — Acta Diuma — but it was carved and placed at certain locations,” she told the outlet.

trailer for Ridley Scott’s highly anticipated “Gladiator II” dropped on Tuesday, setting the stage for the return to ancient Rome.Written by David Scarpa, the sequel to the Russell Crowe-led 2000 historical epic showcases the world 20-plus years later.Paul Mescal now steps into the role of Lucius, whom Spencer Treat Clark portrayed in the original movie. Lucius is the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and nephew of Commodus, who was originally played by Joaquin Phoenix.The plot follows Lucius, who as a child witnessed the death of Maximus (Crowe) at the hands of his uncle.

EXCLUSIVE: The Murtha Skouras Agency, representing top below-the-line talent, has elevated longtime agents Hillary Cook and Karen Berch to Partner, founding partners Ann Murtha and Spyros Skouras announced on Friday.

Poor Things has gotten off to a strong start at tonight’s 96th Oscars. In a mini-upset, the absurdist comedy directed by Yorgas Lanthimos and starring and produced by Emma Stone has taken statuettes for Production Design, Makeup & Hairstyling and Costume Design. See the winners acceptance speeches above and below.

Deadline has launched the streaming site for Contenders Film: The Nominees, the Oscar nominees panel showcase that took place Saturday.

The Oscar-nominated artisans from Ridley Scott‘s epic Napoleon joined me as part of Apple Original Films‘ presentations at Deadline’s Contenders Film: The Nominees event. Veteran production designer Arthur Max and costume designers Janty Yates and David Crossman talked extensively about what it was like to work with Sir Ridley on the ambitious, large-scale production that saw Joaquin Phoenix play Napoleon Bonaparte and Vanessa Kirby his wife Josephine.

ADG Awards celebrated outstanding production design in theatrical motion pictures, television, commercials, animated features and music videos. “It’s our honor and privilege to gather the guild to recognize the excellence among our members,” says award show producers Michael Allen Glover, ADG and Megan Elizabeth Bell, ADG in a joint statement. The ADG divides live-action features into three categories.

The Art Directors Guild has unveiled nominations for its 28th annual Excellence in Production Design Awards, which celebrate the year’s best achievements in theatrical motion pictures, TV, commercials, music videos and animated features. See the full list below.

EXCLUSIVE: Paramount’s sequel to the Oscar-winning hit Gladiator is rounding out its cast as sources tell Deadline the untitled pic has added May Calamawy, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi, Peter Mensah and Matt Lucas.

EXCLUSIVE: While the second season of HBO’s hit series The Last Of Us is in the works, its star Pedro Pascal looks to have found the project he’ll shoot during its hiatus and boy is it a big one. Sources tell Deadline, Pascal is in final negotiations to join the untitled Gladiator sequel for Paramount. He joins Paul Mescal, who will star as Lucius, Barry Keoghan, Joseph Quinn, Connie Nielsen and Denzel Washington. Ridley Scott is returning to direct.

Angelique Jackson Pedro Pascal is the latest A-lister in talks for Ridley Scott’s upcoming “Gladiator” sequel. Pascal, who stars in both “The Mandalorian” and “The Last of Us,” is in final negotiations to join the Paramount movie, joining a cast that already boasts Academy Award nominees Paul Mescal and Barry Keoghan, as well as two-time Academy Award winner Denzel Washington. The Paramount movie follows 2000’s blockbuster hit “Gladiator,” which was nominated for 12 Academy Awards and won five, including best picture. It earned $460 million at the box office. The original film starred Russell Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius, a Roman soldier forced into slavery who vows revenge against Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). Since Maximus dies at the end of “Gladiator,” the yet-to-be-titled sequel focuses on Lucius (Mescal), the son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen, who is set to reprise her role).

Angelique Jackson The cast of Ridley Scott’s upcoming “Gladiator” sequel continues to grow more star-studded, with Connie Nielsen and Joseph Quinn in talks to join Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan and Denzel Washington in the film. The Paramount movie follows 2000’s blockbuster hit “Gladiator,” which was nominated for 12 Academy Awards and won five, including best picture. It earned $460 million at the box office. The film starred Russell Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius, a Roman soldier forced into slavery who vows revenge against Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). Nielsen played Maximus’ lover Lucilla, a role which she’ll reprise in the sequel. Since Maximus dies at the end of “Gladiator,” the sequel is not centered around his character. Mescal is the focus and will play Lucius, the son of Maximus and Lucilla. Keoghan is in negotiations to play Emperor Geta, with Quinn set to join the project as Emperor Caracalla. Washington’s role is being kept under wraps.

EXCLUSIVE: The highly-anticipated Gladiator sequel continues to add to its already impressive cast as sources tell DeadlineConnie Nielsen has closed her deal to return while Joseph Quinn is in negotiations to play Emperor Caracalla in the untitled pic for Paramount. They join Paul Mescal, who will star as Lucius, Barry Keoghan and Denzel Washington. Ridley Scott is returning to direct.

EXCLUSIVE: Almost 16 years ago Denzel Washington and Ridley Scott wowed audiences with their hit crime drama American Gangster, and now it looks like the the two A-listers are ready to get back together in a big way. Sources tell Deadline that Washington is in final negotiations to co-star in Scott’s sequel to his Oscar Best Picture winner Gladiator for Paramount.

Angelique Jackson Academy Award-nominee Barry Keoghan is circling his next high-profile role, with the actor in negotiations to join Ridley Scott’s untitled “Gladiator” sequel. If the deal closes, Keoghan would join fellow 2023 Academy Award nominee Paul Mescal, who is set to star in the Paramount Pictures film. Keoghan is in negotiations to play Emperor Geta. Paramount Pictures has dated the film for November 22, 2024. Scott returns to direct the film, which follows 2000’s “Gladiator,” which was nominated for 12 Academy Awards, winning five including best picture. David Scarpa is penning the script. Scott will also produce with Michael Pruss via Scott Free and Doug Wick & Lucy Fisher via Red Wagon Entertainment. Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald are executive producing. Also returning from the original film are cinematographer John Mathieson, production designer Arthur Max and costume designer Janty Yates.

Barry Keoghan is in negotiations to join the cast of Paramount’s sequel to Gladiator that has Ridley Scott returning to direct and Paul Mescal set to star.