Gladiator 2‘s trailer had people talking, but mostly about Ridley Scott’s decision to include “No Church In The Wild” by The Throne in the clip. For those who are unaware, the 2011 single from Jay Z and Kanye West’s Watch the Throne. (Frank Ocean also comes through for that chorus.) It’s kind of a throwback at this point. But, people latched onto its appropriate-ness in comment sections around social media. While Scott is no stranger to Jay Z as a musical cue for trailers, there was still some ruffled feathers in certain corners of the Internet. But, that past tie helps explainย the choice pretty easily.
On Twitter, Luke Cage head man Cheo Hodari Coker laid out the bonafides for the choice. It’s worth a look on that basis alone. But, the link between American Gangster and Gladiator 2 probably shouldn’t go overlooked. At its core, Scott’s sequel is the story of a Rome in transition. There are open plays of powerย that will draw in a new generation of gladiators. Denzel Washington, ever ready to provide charisma by the truck full, is in the shuffle here. He’s not the emperor, but he remembers the effectiveness of a messageย as demonstrated by Maximus last time around.ย
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The catalyst for change starts with one swing of the sword. Things can change up in a heartbeat and the top of the world can become a dangerous cliff. So, the order is not set at all. Frank Ocean is basically laying it out for you. Also, we’re right on the edge of affection for that next period of the late Aughts into the early 10s in pop culture. Prepare yourselves accordingly.
What Is Gladiator 2 About?
“From legendary director Ridley Scott, Gladiator II continues the epic saga of power, intrigue, and vengeance set in Ancient Rome. Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximusย at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.”
Gladiator 2‘s positively stacked cast includes Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Lior Raz, Derek Jacobi with Connie Nielsen and Denzel Washington. David Scarpa penned the screenplay and Peter Craig helped craft the story. Producing the return to Ancient Rome are Ridley Scott, Douglas Wick, Lucy Fisher, Michael Pruss and David Franzoni.
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