Denzel Washington broke the internet when he revealed Ryan Coogler is writing him into Black Panther 3 — fans didn’t even know a third installment was in the works! Marvel fans have been desperate to see the Training Day, American Gangster, and now Gladiator II star join the MCU for over a decade, and it’s finally happening. While the reveal came with the bittersweet news of Washington’s impending retirement from acting, the star has now revealed why he’s joining the MCU after a decade of fan-casting.

Speaking to HeyUGuys, Denzel Washington said it’s all thanks to director Ryan Coogler. “It’s all Ryan Coogler,” said the actor, when asked why he’s making the leap to the MCU. Washington didn’t reveal whether he’s a fan of Marvel movies (or superhero films in general). But, the two-time Oscar-winning actor is joining Black Panther 3 because he loves Ryan Coogler’s work. He continued:

“Ryan talked to me about it. I said, ‘Whatever it is, I love you. Go do it, and I’ll read it.'”

Marvel Studios probably weren’t ready for Black Panther 3 to be announced, as the project wasn’t mentioned at any of the studio’s convention panels this year. Judging from what Washington said next, Ryan Coogler hasn’t even finalized the script yet. “I don’t even know what it is yet. He just said he was gonna write something.” But Washington feels relaxed about how the news was broken. “I guess I didn’t ask for permission. But he came to me,” he joked about being the one to drop the bombshell. However, Washington did say he called up Ryan Coogler the day after to apologize. He continued:

“I called him yesterday, and I was like, ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was gonna happen like this.’ I don’t know why. I guess it is news or something. But, the bottom line is, I don’t even know what it is; if it’s one line, one scene, or… I really don’t. But I told him, whatever it is, I’ll do it because it’s Ryan.”

Denzel Washington’s Performance in ‘Gladiator II’ Has Been Deemed “Oscar Worthy”

The reviews for Gladiator II are mostly positive, with a few critics flaying the film as an unnecessary legacy sequel. However, almost every critic is in agreement about Denzel Washington’s performance being Oscar-worthy. The legendary actor plays Macrinus, a former gladiator-turned-slave-owner. Judging by the trailers, Macrinus becomes somewhat of a mentor to Lucius after purchasing him from a slave auction. But Macrinus is using Lucius to make a grab for power against Rome’s emperors.

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While critics are obsessed with Washington’s performance, the actor himself said the job was made much easier by Ridley Scott’s dedication to the world of Gladiator. According to Denzel Washington, Scott “built Rome.” As a result, the actors were immersed in the Ancient world, letting their performances shine on the practical sets. He explained:

“He built Rome, so all we had to do was put the clothes on and start talking. It was play. You know, it’s fun. Just put the gear on and go. That’s the way I looked at it. I’m like, I’m putting this dress on, these rings, and I’m going crazy.”

Gladiator 2 is the follow-up to Ridley Scott’s award-winning film Gladiator from 2000. Scott returns to direct the sequel, with Paul Mescal staring as Lucius, alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn as the villain Emperor Geta. Gladiator 2 had been stuck in development hell for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally moved forward.Release Date November 22, 2024 Cast Paul Mescal , Pedro Pascal , Denzel Washington , Connie Nielsen , Joseph Quinn , Fred Hechinger , Derek Jacobi , May Calamawy , Peter Mensah , Matt Lucas , Alexander Karim , Tim McInnerny , Lee Charles , Chidi Ajufo , Alfie Tempest , Riana Duce , Chi Lewis Parry , Paul Candelent , Hadrian Howard , Alexander Simkin , Mikhail Basmadjian , Matthew Charlery-Smith , Maxime Durand , Lior Raz Expand