Paul Mescal hosts SNL and reimagines Gladiator II as a musical

Paul Mescal hosted Saturday Night Live on December 7, where he humorously reimagined Gladiator II as a musical. The skit compared its box office performance to that of Wicked and Moana 2, highlighting the musical trend in films. In the segment, Mescal and the SNL cast performed songs like “There’s No Place Like Rome.” The skit concluded with Mescal flying on a broomstick, singing Elphaba's famous song “Defying Gravity” from Wicked. This parody follows the simultaneous release of Gladiator II and Wicked, which fans dubbed "Glicked." The playful comparison draws parallels to last year's Barbenheimer box office competition.