Summary
One element of the trailer for Ridley Scott’sGladiator IIhas caused some controversy, but it was actually a great choice for the trailer, and a positive sign for the sequel.The trailer forGladiator IIgave a great first look at the upcoming sequel and revealed some major parts of its story. It highlighted themain cast ofGladiator II, like Paul Mescal’s Lucius, Pedro Pascal’s General Acacius, and Denzel Washington’s Macrinus. The trailer also sparked a bit of controversy, even though its most controversial decision was a great choice and a positive sign forGladiator II.
The trailer forGladiator IIwas mostly well-received, but not entirely. Some have already pointed out thehistorical inaccuracies in the trailer forGladiator II, and others have criticized its style of editing. There’s another part of the trailer that has proven to be the most controversial, though, and it likely shouldn’t be. The soundtrack for the trailer ofGladiator IIhas angered some fans, even though its song worked quite well and actually painted a very exciting picture for Ridley Scott’s upcoming sword and sandal epic.
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Gladiator 2’s Modern Music Suggests A Fresh Approach For The Sequel
Parts of the trailer forGladiator IIwere set to the song “No Church in the Wild” by Jay-Z and Kanye West. That choice for the trailer’s soundtrack became controversial to some viewers for a few reasons.Some people took issue with the fact that the trailer didn’t use a more traditional movie score, like Hans Zimmer’s soundtrack for the originalGladiator, while others thought that using rap music in a movie about ancient Rome was anachronistic. The controversy became so prevalent that one fanedited Zimmer’s original score into the trailer forGladiator IIwhile removing “No Church in the Wild.”
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Despite the controversy, “No Church in the Wild” was a great choice for theGladiator IItrailer’s soundtrack. Using a modern rap song is a sign thatGladiator IIis willing to take some risks and change the formula of the originalGladiator. Setting the trailer to Zimmer’s score would have been a safe and inoffensive option, but it would have felt just likeGladiator.Using “No Church in the Wild” was much more daring, and it’s a sign that the sequel will have a fresh take on ancient Rome. Having a fresh approach seems especially important consideringGladiator II’s story details.
Gladiator 2 Is Already Close To The Original Movie In Many Other Ways
Part of why the music in the trailer forGladiator IIwas such a good choice is because the sequel needed to distance itself from the originalGladiator.The two films are already extremely similar, and Paul Mescal’s Lucius seems eerily similar to Russel Crowe’s Maximus. The two are both former Romans who were sold into slavery, forced to fight in the Colosseum, and driven by a desire for revenge against the ruling class of the Empire. It also seems they’ll take the same role in their respective stories, as Lucius will likely end up killingGladiator II’s two Emperors, just like Maximus killed Commodus.
Don’t Expect Modern Music In Gladiator 2’s Finished Cut
Though the trailer featured “No Church in the Wild,” it seems doubtful that it or any other modern song will actually be played inGladiator II. Ridley Scott has never been overly concerned with historical accuracy, as evidenced by the fact that the originalGladiatorhad some glaring changes to history.While Scott is tolerant of historical inaccuracies, the changes he’s accepted in the past have mostly been meant to increase immersion or drama. One ofGladiator’s biggest historical inaccuracies was the timeline of Commodus' reign, which only true history buffs noticed at first, and which helped makeGladiatormore compelling.
Gladiator
Cast
Gladiator follows Maximus, a Roman general betrayed by the new emperor Commodus. After escaping execution, he is enslaved and becomes a gladiator. Set in ancient Rome, the story portrays his struggle for survival and quest for vengeance as he battles for his freedom in the arena.
Ridley Scott would likely consider a modern rap song to be exactly the type of thing that would ruin the immersion ofGladiator II. “No Church in the Wild” works for the trailer, as it set the tone of the movie, but within the film itself it would stick out among the swords and sandals of ancient Rome. If including a modern song threatened to makeGladiator IIworse or less engaging, there’s almost no chance Scott would use it. Though rap music likely won’t be played inGladiator II, it is a great sign that the sequel will bring something new to the world ofGladiator.
Gladiator II
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.
