'Gladiator' Sequel Casts Paul Mescal; Netflix Renews 'Wednesday'; 'Real Housewives' Star Sentenced; Allison Williams Talks 'M3GAN'

[View on web]( [New reader? Subscribe]( January 07, 2023 What's news: James Cameron says Avatar 2 will easily turn a profit and that he'll indeed make more sequels. Tim Blake Nelson joins Dune: Part 2. Danny Masterson asks the judge to dismiss rape case after mistrial. Extra backs Billy Bush over leaked Kendall Jenner joke. CBS' Fire Country lands a second season. — [Ryan Gajewski]( Paul Mescal in Talks for 'Gladiator 2' ►Time to get entertained again. Ridley Scott is readying his long-gestating Gladiator sequel, with Normal People star Paul Mescal in negotiations for the film's lead role. The Paramount project is set to be a follow-up to Scott's best picture-winning 2000 feature, which earned Russell Crowe an Oscar for his role as former general Maximus. [The story.]( —🎭 More film casting news 🎭 THR's [Borys Kit]( has the scoop on Tim Blake Nelson's last-minute addition to the high-flying cast of Dune: Part 2, Denis Villeneuve's sprawling adaptation of the Frank Herbert sci-fi classic. The actor joins fellow newcomers Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Léa Seydoux and Christopher Walken on the project that officially wrapped shooting in mid-December. [The story.]( —Beast mode. With The Sea Beast having become the most-viewed animated movie in Netflix's history, it should be no surprise that the streamer wants more from filmmaker Chris Williams. Borys chats with Williams to get the scoop about a sequel that will bring back the original's monster hunter and his adopted daughter. [The interview.]( 'Wednesday' Gets Second Season ►👋 Give Netflix a hand for this 👋 After speculation about Wednesday's fate, the streamer has confirmed the goth mystery series will return for another round. Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, showrunners of the hit Jenna Ortega-led project, shared their excitement to "continue Wednesday's tortuous journey into season two." [The story.]( —"It looks like I can't wiggle out of this." James Cameron says Avatar: The Way of Water will "easily" pass the break-even point at the box office and that he will indeed make more sequels to his fantasy hit. In his conversation with Chris Wallace, the director appeared to feign reluctance about continuing to expand the mega-budgeted franchise. [The story.]( —Following a November mistrial. Danny Masterson is asking an L.A. judge to use her discretion and dismiss the charges against him after a jury couldn't reach a verdict following a month-long trial. The actor was charged with the rape of three women from 2001 to 2003, to all of which he pled not guilty. [The story.]( 'Real Housewives' Star Jen Shah Sentenced ►"Jen will pay her debt to society." Jen Shah, who stars on Bravo's The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, was sentenced to six years and six months in prison for her role in a telemarketing scam. A Bravo exec told THR's [Ryan Gajewski]( that the network will "take a minute to process and figure out" her future with the show. [The story.]( —"Some material lands on the cutting room floor." The team behind Extra is supporting host Billy Bush in light of his unaired joke about Kendall Jenner having been recently leaked to the media. Bush was recorded making a sexualized quip about the reality TV star's Halloween costume. [The story.]( —A hot new show. Fire Country has been renewed for a second season, CBS announced. The Northern California-set firefighter drama stars Max Thieriot (Seal Team) and counts Jerry Bruckheimer as executive producer. [The story.]( Allison Williams Talks 'M3GAN' ►"It's scary, but it really is a treat." THR's [Brian Davids]( interviews Allison Williams about returning to the Blumhouse world for the buzzed-about techno-horror film M3GAN. The Girls alum discusses the internal debate surrounding the title character's viral dance, her feelings on Nope and why she's taken a break from the big screen in recent years. [The interview.]( —"No one wants anything to ever end." THR's [Caitlin Huston]( spoke to Beetlejuice producer Mark Kaufman ahead of the theatrical production's closing performance of its second Broadway stint. He discussed the show's turbulent journey and his outlook on movie musicals going forward. [The interview.]( —"I was flooded with a lot of memories." Georgette Jones, daughter of Tammy Wynette and George Jones, will appear in a cameo role during Sunday's final episode of George & Tammy, the Golden Globe-nominated Showtime series about her music-legend parents. THR's [Mesfin Fekadu]( got the scoop and chatted with Jones about her emotional role in the series that's based on her memoir. [The interview.]( Wes Bentley on His 'Yellowstone' Power Move ►"It feels like he's found his spine." THR's [Jackie Strause]( spoke to Yellowstone star Wes Bentley about his character Jamie Dutton's complicated relationship with his father (Kevin Costner) after that explosive Jan. 1 midseason finale. The actor talks about the personal toll of playing the hated son and the "adrenaline power rush" he felt from the pivotal episode. [The interview.]( In other news... —Sally Field on how her [potential date with Steven Spielberg led to a 50-year friendship]( —Si Litvinoff, A Clockwork Orange and Man Who Fell to Earth producer, [dies at 93]( —How Glass Onion's editor placed clues [in plain sight so the audience "didn't feel cheated"]( —See the first trailer for [COVID-19 horror movie Sick from the Scream writer]( —50 Cent says he's [working on an 8 Mile TV show with Eminem]( What else we're reading... —James Poniewozik on how streaming may no longer be changing the game of TV storytelling [[NYT]( —Katie Cunningham explores what happened to Kimbra, who rocketed to fame at age 21 with her part in hit song "Somebody That I Used to Know" [[Guardian]( —Diana Hamilton attends the Poetry Project's 49th annual New Year's Day Marathon, where no one believes poetry is irrelevant [[WaPo]( —Olivia Truffaut-Wong examines how Ginny & Georgia's Scott Porter became the king of comfort TV [[The Cut]( —Mona Holmes asks Paul Feig about his favorite L.A. drinking spots, starting with Burbank's storied Smokehouse [[Eater]( Today... ...in 2013, Bravo premiered Lisa Vanderpump's Real Housewives of Beverly Hills spinoff, Vanderpump Rules, introducing audiences to what could be the world's most photogenic restaurant staff. In her THR review, [Allison Keene]( marveled that "there actually are some likable castmembers." [The review.]( Today's birthdays: Nicolas Cage (59), Jeremy Renner (52), Katie Couric (66), Michaela Jaé Rodriguez (32), Haley Bennett (35), David Caruso (67), Ruth Negga (41), Lauren Cohan (41), Robert Sheehan (35), Leslie Grace (28), Lyndsy Fonseca (36), Doug E. Doug (53), Sofia Wylie (19), Sammo Hung (71), Steven Williams (74), Kevin Rahm (52), Jessica Darrow (28) Earl Boen, the busy character actor best known for his stint as the criminal psychologist Peter Silberman in the Terminator film franchise, died Thursday in Hawaii. He was 81. [The obituary.]( Do you have THR's next big story? Confidentially share tips with us at [tips@thr.com](mailto:tips@thr.com?subject=). This email was sent to {EMAIL} by Penske Media Corporation. Please add email@email.hollywoodreporter.com to your address book to ensure delivery to your inbox. 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