Ridley Scott rep denies Paul Mescal was dropped from The Dog Stars for being ‘not masculine enough’
Scott’s representative directly denied the report, saying that the claims were “not true”
By Aaron Sugg
A representative for Ridley Scott has denied claims that the director said Paul Mescal wasn’t ‘masculine’ enough for the 2026 sci-fi/action film The Dog Stars.
A Puck report claimed Mescal was dropped from the film after his leading role in Gladiator II underperformed at the box office.
Scott’s representative directly denied the report. The spokesperson told Entertainment Weekly that the claims were “not true”, adding: “Ridley loves Paul and was excited to work with him on Dog Stars after having [enjoyed] such a great collaboration on Gladiator II.”
Jacob Elordi replaces Paul Mescal in The Dog Stars
Mescal was originally attached to star in The Dog Stars, but was replaced by Jacob Elordi due to “scheduling” issues.
The representative maintained that scheduling was the actual reason Mescal left. The rep explained: “Sadly, Paul’s rehearsal schedule for another film prevented him from ultimately doing Ridley’s film.”
The spokesperson added: “While he was disappointed to lose Paul, he was thrilled to get the chance to work with Jacob, who was excellent in the role.”
Mescal to star as Paul McCartney
Mescal’s scheduling conflict was connected to Sam Mendes’ Beatles films, in which he will play band member Paul McCartney in the four-part biopic series.
Scott had previously acknowledged the scheduling issue, telling The Hollywood Reporter: “Paul is actually stacked up, doing the Beatles next. So I may have to let him go.”
Gladiators II, while praised by fans, with costs reportedly soaring near $250 million (£184.6 million), the film needed a massive global box office haul to turn a profit.