Moon Knightstar May Calamawy was meant to have a major role inGladiator II, but her role has been cut, prompting questions about what happened. Once Ridley Scott settled on an idea to finally make hisGladiatorsequel after over two decades, the project became one of the biggest upcoming productions in Hollywood. This left actors of all levels of fame fighting for a spot to be part ofGladiator 2’s cast. Scott got to pick the cream of the crop, so herecast Lucius with Paul Mescal, added Pedro Pascal, and finalized a reunion with Denzel Washington.
All the director’s decisions have seemed to work out, withGladiator 2’s reviewspointing to it being another win. Each actor involved with the film has added to the world that Scott is exploring, bringing new, rich characters into the franchise or returning a few connected to Maximus' journey. There’s understandably plenty of focus on who is inGladiator 2rather than concentrating on who is not present other than Russell Crowe. However, May Calamawy’s absence fromGladiator 2is a different story, as her expected role is vastly reduced, which is quite strange given her casting announcement.
May Calamawy Was Cast In Gladiator 2 To Play A Reported Important Role
She Was Among The Final Additions To The Cast
The news that May Calamawy was cast inGladiator 2came in May 2023 fromDeadline. She was announced alongside the castings of Fred Hechinger as Emperor Gata, Derek Jacobi returning as Gracchus, and other new additions. This was a major break for Calamawy,building on her breakout performance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe inMoon Knightby joining Ridley Scott’s highly anticipated sequel. At the time, there was no direct confirmation on what character she would play, but the report noted that the director himself was very invested and particular about the casting process and choosing Calamawy.
Why Djimon Hounsou Didn’t Return For Gladiator 2
Djimon Hounson was unable to return for Gladiator 2 due to events out of his control, leaving fans to wonder how Juba could have been in the story.
It was reported that Calamawy was cast inGladiator 2after an in-depth search orchestrated by Scott. It was even compared to his search to find Mescal. The director reportedly wanted to look at all options for this part due to"the importance of the character to the story.“It wasonly after multiple auditions that Calamay officially got the part. She then took part in the principal photography alongside the rest of her cast mates. Understandably, there was an expectation that audiences would see her in the final cut of the film if her character was so important to the plot.
However, this made her continued absence from pieces ofGladiator 2marketing quite suspicious.She was not prominently seen in any of the trailers, and she was also left out of all posters. These were all red flags regarding the status of May Calamawy’s scenes still being in Ridley Scott’s final cut. The lack of her presence in the marketing did not completely eliminate any hope that she was still in the movie. Still, it deterred the idea that she played a role as important as the initial casting reports suggested.
May Calamawy Was Cut Out Of Gladiator 2
She Confirmed Her Scenes Were Removed
Now thatGladiator 2is out, it has been confirmed that May Calamawy’s scenes were cut out. She is no longer present in any significant capacity,only being seen briefly in the background of some shots and having no dialogue. It’s unclear at this point if another character replaced her narrative purpose, but Scott’s final cut of the movie essentially removed her importance entirely. It’s possible then that she was part of a bigger subplot that was then removed from the film for the time, asGladiator 2’s final cut still boasts an epic 2-hour and 28-minute runtime.
Ridley Scott has already confirmed no director’s cut of Gladiator II is coming, which could have restored some of Calamawy’s scenes
The revelation that Calamawy was cut fromGladiator 2did not come as a total surprise. Not only was she absent from all marketing, but the actress confirmed this was the case in the weeks leading up to the film’s release. She attended the London Comic Con, and fans, likeFranPanon X, confirmed on social media thatshe revealed during a panel thather scenes were not kept inGladiator 2. Still, she reportedly had nothing but good things to say about the experience, praising her time working alongsideDenzel Washington’s Macrinus.
May Calamawy’s Scenes Being Cut From Gladiator 2 Sparked Controversy
Speculation Has Mounted About What Happened To Her Role
In light of the confirmation that May Calamawy’s scenes were cut fromGladiator 2, those looking forward to her appearance in the film have been left looking for answers. Without any clear and confirmed reasoning for the decision, speculation has turned what could be a simple filmmaking decision into a more controversial one. This is due toGladiator 2drastically reducing the role for its Egyptian-Palestinian star in a disappointing fashion.
The reason this has sparked controversy is due to the Israel-Palestine war that began in 2023. The conflict began months after Calamawy’s casting and is still ongoing. The fact thatGladiator 2would remove an actress of Palestinian descent in the middle of the conflict has drawn criticism from some online. However, it’s important to note thatthere is no real evidence that Calamawy’s nationality had anything to do with her reducedGladiator 2role. At this point, that is purely conjecture at the heart of the controversy.
May Calamawy’s Gladiator 2 Role & Why She Was Cut Has Not Been Confirmed
Ridley Scott Has Not Addressed What Happened
There is still not any direct confirmation as to who May Calamawy was meant to play inGladiator 2or how her role fully factored into the narrative. The actress' reveal that she shared scenes with Denzel Washington is telling, as it suggestsshe was mostly connected to Macrinus' plotlineand the gladiator arena. This has left more questions about how she would have originally played a part in the movie and what happened in their interactions, which are now left on the cutting room floor.
Unfortunately, there is no resolution to what happened to May Calamawy’s role inGladiator 2. Ridley Scott has yet to address the topic at the time of this writing, but that could change as he does more press for the film around the theatrical release and later on during potential awards campaigning.The most likely scenario is that Calamawy’s role was simply cut for timepurposes, as it would be much worse forGladiator 2and Scott if there were a more controversial reason for the decision. However, this confirmation will only ever come if Scott is asked about it and chooses to provide some clarity.
