Movie Reviews

Gladiator 2's Trailer Controversy Is Actually A Positive Sign For Ridley Scott's Sequel

Ita PreciousJuly 13, 2024
238 4 minutes read
gladiators 1

Summary

  • Using modern rap music in the Gladiator II trailer was controversial, but it was also a daring and positive choice for the sequel.
  • The trailer’s modern soundtrack signals a fresh approach and willingness to take risks in Gladiator II.
  • The final cut of Gladiator II will likely forego modern music in favor of maintaining the film’s immersion.



One element of the trailer for Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II has caused some controversy, but it was actually a great choice for the trailer, and a positive sign for the sequel. The trailer for Gladiator II gave a great first look at the upcoming sequel and revealed some major parts of its story. It highlighted the main cast of Gladiator 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 for Gladiator II.

The trailer for Gladiator II was mostly well-received, but not entirely. Some have already pointed out the historical inaccuracies in the trailer for Gladiator 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 of Gladiator II has 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 for Gladiator II were 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 original Gladiator, while others thought that using rap music in a movie about ancient Rome was anachronistic. The controversy became so prevalent that one fan edited Zimmer’s original score into the trailer for Gladiator II while removing “No Church in the Wild.”


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Despite the controversy, “No Church in the Wild” was a great choice for the Gladiator II trailer’s soundtrack. Using a modern rap song is a sign that Gladiator II is willing to take some risks and change the formula of the original Gladiator. Setting the trailer to Zimmer’s score would have been a safe and inoffensive option, but it would have felt just like Gladiator. 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 considering Gladiator 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 for Gladiator II was such a good choice is because the sequel needed to distance itself from the original Gladiator. 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 killing Gladiator II‘s two Emperors, just like Maximus killed Commodus.


Don’t Expect Modern Music In Gladiator 2’s Finished Cut

Paul Mescal in Gladiator 2

Though the trailer featured “No Church in the Wild,” it seems doubtful that it or any other modern song will actually be played in Gladiator II. Ridley Scott has never been overly concerned with historical accuracy, as evidenced by the fact that the original Gladiator had 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 of Gladiator‘s biggest historical inaccuracies was the timeline of Commodus’ reign, which only true history buffs noticed at first, and which helped make Gladiator more compelling.


Ridley Scott would likely consider a modern rap song to be exactly the type of thing that would ruin the immersion of Gladiator 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 make Gladiator II worse or less engaging, there’s almost no chance Scott would use it. Though rap music likely won’t be played in Gladiator II, it is a great sign that the sequel will bring something new to the world of Gladiator.


Ita PreciousJuly 13, 2024
238 4 minutes read
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