The first trailer of the much-awaited film is released Gladiator 2 Recently released by Paramount Pictures, it gives us a glimpse of the Roman saga left incomplete by the first film.
The trailer was released on Paramount’s official YouTube channel and the film is set to release on November 22. The action-packed period drama is directed by Ridley Scott and stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn and Denzel Washington.
When it comes to audience opinions, the reviews are mixed. Some die-hard fans think the first film was so good that it could have been made into a standalone film. One user on Reddit asked a poignant question: “The story is over… what will be the sequel?”
Another user said, “Unnecessary blatant attempt at a money grab. I’m sure someone would pay to see this, but not me.”
Alternatively, instead of a sequel, fans say a prequel would have been better. “This seems like a money-making blockbuster more than anything else. No doubt it will be entertaining, but it won’t have the same emotional quality. I wish they would have made better sequels and taken the time to honor past works instead of making crappy movies,” said one angry fan on the same thread.
Others complemented these comments by criticising the music choice, as the trailer features a controversial track by Joe West. The song playing in the background is no Church in the Wild by Jay-Z, West, Frank Ocean and The-Dream. This collaborative track was originally included on the 2011 album, watch the ThroneThe lyrics reportedly relate to the film, but most fans have expressed their displeasure at the contrast between a modern hip-hop song and a historical drama.
Theo Priestley on X says, “Comparing the new trailer to the original trailer reveals that a lot of the impact is lost in trying to make it look great by using generic trailer scores and modern music. It’s about Rome not the Bronx. It’s twice as long with half the story.”
Another user on X claimed, “So the #Gladiator2 trailer is here. Remember that just because the trailer has modern music doesn’t mean the movie will have modern music. I doubt it will. But can we talk about Rhino Rider? It all looks fun but it might be bordering on being ridiculous.”
The film will focus on Lucilla’s son Lucius, played by Paul, who will try to carry forward Maximus’ legacy. Reports claim that Ridley has been working on the sequel for a very long time, so all hope is not lost until the film actually releases.
