27 votes

Gladiator II | Official trailer

29 comments

  1. [8]
    Thales
    Link
    Fascinating that this is now the third big-budget production I’ve seen to use an ill-fitting Kanye West song in its trailer. As someone who no longer actively listens to his music and who would...

    Fascinating that this is now the third big-budget production I’ve seen to use an ill-fitting Kanye West song in its trailer.

    As someone who no longer actively listens to his music and who would love to see him deplatformed until he makes a meaningful effort at atonement, I appreciate that they cut around Kanye’s voice to highlight Frank Ocean and Jay Z, at least. I have to wonder why they felt the need to include the song at all, though.

    A “coliseum floor” pun doesn’t seem worth it when you have access to Hans Zimmer.

    20 votes
    1. [7]
      Vito
      Link Parent
      I was expecting to be sold by the music in the trailer, assuming they would use some rendition of Hans Zimmer's work, but nothing. I can't understand that choice.

      I was expecting to be sold by the music in the trailer, assuming they would use some rendition of Hans Zimmer's work, but nothing. I can't understand that choice.

      8 votes
      1. [3]
        NaraVara
        Link Parent
        Yeah it was very jarring. As much as I loved and will defend the musical choices in A Knight’s Tale, Gladiator is not that kind of movie.

        Yeah it was very jarring. As much as I loved and will defend the musical choices in A Knight’s Tale, Gladiator is not that kind of movie.

        10 votes
        1. [2]
          babypuncher
          Link Parent
          To be fair, the original Gladiator ad campaign also used ill-fitting modern music. Most of the time, the people making the actual movie have no real control over how it is marketed. Filmmakers...

          To be fair, the original Gladiator ad campaign also used ill-fitting modern music.

          Most of the time, the people making the actual movie have no real control over how it is marketed. Filmmakers like Christopher Nolan are the exception.

          1 vote
          1. NaraVara
            Link Parent
            That was a Super Bowl ad though, so it was clearly cut to line up with NFL vibes. This is the trailer I remember.

            That was a Super Bowl ad though, so it was clearly cut to line up with NFL vibes. This is the trailer I remember.

      2. [3]
        Omnicrola
        Link Parent
        I've no idea why in the hell they thought anything but Hans was appropriate for this. The soundtrack to the first one is iconic, and is such an integral part of why that movie is great. I went...

        I've no idea why in the hell they thought anything but Hans was appropriate for this. The soundtrack to the first one is iconic, and is such an integral part of why that movie is great.

        I went back to watch the original trailer just to check myself. Visually I think they're doing great. The choice of song is terrible though. I hope it's not in the actual movie. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5ieIbInFpg

        5 votes
        1. [2]
          Thales
          Link Parent
          I was curious to see if Hans Zimmer was involved in the sequel at all given how long it's been since the original. Apparently he has passed the reigns to a former assistant, Harry Gregson...

          I've no idea why in the hell they thought anything but Hans was appropriate for this. The soundtrack to the first one is iconic, and is such an integral part of why that movie is great.

          I was curious to see if Hans Zimmer was involved in the sequel at all given how long it's been since the original.

          Apparently he has passed the reigns to a former assistant, Harry Gregson Williams. He spoke a bit about the transition in an interview with curzon.com:

          AW: WHEN GLADIATOR 2 WAS ANNOUNCED, I WAS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF YOU RETURNING TO SCORE THE SEQUEL. WHY DID YOU OPT NOT TO?

          HZ: It’s really very simple. I’ve done that world. And I think I did it well. And all I’d do is set myself up for either trying to repeat myself, which I don’t want to do, or getting slaughtered by critics who say you didn’t do it as well as you did the first time. We have a gladiator fight in Dune: Part Two, right? We have a gladiator fight in Gladiator obviously, but they couldn’t be more different! I liked the idea of moving on and not getting compared to my own work. One way or the other I’d had enough of that, doing three Batman movies or four Pirates [of the Caribbean] movies or four Kung Fu Panda movies. And Gladiator takes a special place in my heart. I think it’s completely undisciplined. It wouldn’t have mattered if I had written the most amazing score, because the music in the first movie sticks in people’s hearts.

          I had that experience doing the live[-action] version of The Lion King. I tried to step out of my own vocabulary. Every time I did, it just didn’t work. So all I could do was repeat myself. You owe it to yourself, and to the audience, to try to do new things. And I want to say something about [Gladiator 2 composer] Harry Gregson Williams, who started out as my assistant. He was very good friends with both Tony and Ridley Scott. Harry is family for me. He’s a phenomenal composer. That film is in really good hands. Trust me. Harry and I have spoken about it. He feels the old score barking at his heels a little bit. So he’s on his A game.

          15 votes
          1. Omnicrola
            Link Parent
            Glad to hear that it's going to get a good musical treatment by someone who understands what they're doing. I was mainly sniping at the choice of using a contemporary song in the trailer, so I'm...

            Glad to hear that it's going to get a good musical treatment by someone who understands what they're doing. I was mainly sniping at the choice of using a contemporary song in the trailer, so I'm glad to hear they're not leaning into that.

            5 votes
  2. [3]
    NaraVara
    Link
    This trailer seems tonally way way off. I hope that’s not indicative of where the film will go.

    This trailer seems tonally way way off. I hope that’s not indicative of where the film will go.

    13 votes
    1. [2]
      cloud_loud
      Link Parent
      Yeah I’m getting Napoleon flashbacks which is exactly what I was worried about.

      Yeah I’m getting Napoleon flashbacks which is exactly what I was worried about.

      6 votes
      1. TheMediumJon
        Link Parent
        Napoleon as in the (relatively) recent movie? It wasn't amazing as a movie, but the soundtrack (in addition to some of the cinematography) actually was something I was totally awe-struck by. The...

        Napoleon as in the (relatively) recent movie?

        It wasn't amazing as a movie, but the soundtrack (in addition to some of the cinematography) actually was something I was totally awe-struck by.

        The three (or four) tracks from the battles such as Toulon were stunning imo.

        2 votes
  3. [2]
    rosco
    Link
    Man, they had such an amazing story to work off of. How is this where they landed? All I want to be is excited for this movie and that trailer did anything but. It almost feels like a Michael Bay...

    Man, they had such an amazing story to work off of. How is this where they landed? All I want to be is excited for this movie and that trailer did anything but. It almost feels like a Michael Bay version of the original.

    10 votes
    1. Grasamucor
      Link Parent
      studios aren't afraid to stoop to lows to get people in the theaters. Its just a lot of lowest common denominator pandering. Video games do a lot of the same annoying crap these days as well.

      studios aren't afraid to stoop to lows to get people in the theaters. Its just a lot of lowest common denominator pandering. Video games do a lot of the same annoying crap these days as well.

      2 votes
  4. [10]
    deknalis
    Link
    Rap songs in period trailers seem to get much more vitriolic reactions than other genres.

    Rap songs in period trailers seem to get much more vitriolic reactions than other genres.

    6 votes
    1. NoobFace
      Link Parent
      "Studios should stick scores including instruments created a thousand years after the collapse of the Roman Empire, but not Rap cause it's too jarring." It's just a dog whistle.

      "Studios should stick scores including instruments created a thousand years after the collapse of the Roman Empire, but not Rap cause it's too jarring."

      It's just a dog whistle.

      7 votes
    2. [8]
      GunnarRunnar
      Link Parent
      Isn't it the most modern feeling and therefore easily identified as out of place? I guess something like 100 gecs would be even less fitting.

      Isn't it the most modern feeling and therefore easily identified as out of place? I guess something like 100 gecs would be even less fitting.

      5 votes
      1. [6]
        deknalis
        Link Parent
        I’d say electronic/synth would be even more out of place, at least rap is utilizing the human voice primarily. And yet I saw a lot of (rightful) praise for the Shogun score, which uses a lot of...

        I’d say electronic/synth would be even more out of place, at least rap is utilizing the human voice primarily. And yet I saw a lot of (rightful) praise for the Shogun score, which uses a lot of synthetic instrumentation in the show itself, instead of just a trailer.

        4 votes
        1. [5]
          GunnarRunnar
          Link Parent
          Now that I'm thinking about it, have any period pieces featured other modern music genres? Must have, obviously, but nothing springs to mind. Either way, this movie seems pretty far away from...

          Now that I'm thinking about it, have any period pieces featured other modern music genres? Must have, obviously, but nothing springs to mind.

          Either way, this movie seems pretty far away from historical accuracy so they have my blessing to put whatever in. This seriously seems like a popcorn epic, marketing is doing its job.

          2 votes
          1. [2]
            redwall_hp
            Link Parent
            Non-serious (or is it?) answer: the original Gladiator. Orchestras and their component instruments didn't exist in ancient Rome. (In a similar vein, Spaghetti Westerns used a fair bit of electric...

            Non-serious (or is it?) answer: the original Gladiator. Orchestras and their component instruments didn't exist in ancient Rome. (In a similar vein, Spaghetti Westerns used a fair bit of electric guitar.)

            Peaky Blinders leans heavily into that dirty early 2000s rock sound, for a show set just after WWI. White Stripes, Arctic Monkeys, etc.. I think they threw in Black Sabbath a few times too. It definitely works.

            I've heard Bridgerton uses Vitamin String Quartet pieces a bit, which are all contemporary songs rearranged for a string quartet.

            5 votes
            1. Tardigrade
              Link Parent
              It uses it quite a lot for the dance scenes. They've seen quite a bit of reuse in weddings and similar events as background music or waiting music in the UK at least.

              I've heard Bridgerton uses Vitamin String Quartet pieces a bit, which are all contemporary songs rearranged for a string quartet.

              It uses it quite a lot for the dance scenes. They've seen quite a bit of reuse in weddings and similar events as background music or waiting music in the UK at least.

              1 vote
          2. cloud_loud
            Link Parent
            D’jango Unchained was a notable one. I’m sure there’s plenty of others.

            D’jango Unchained was a notable one. I’m sure there’s plenty of others.

            2 votes
          3. balooga
            Link Parent
            Marie Antoinette had a pretty fantastic punk / new wave soundtrack.

            Marie Antoinette had a pretty fantastic punk / new wave soundtrack.

  5. [3]
    BeanBurrito
    Link
    Drat. I saw the title and I hoped Russell Crowe was coming back from the dead. :-). Nice to see Pedro Pascal again. I hope Got and this movie combined don't get him typecasted. Since the bad...

    Drat. I saw the title and I hoped Russell Crowe was coming back from the dead. :-).

    Nice to see Pedro Pascal again. I hope Got and this movie combined don't get him typecasted.

    Since the bad emperor in the sequel is Nero I hope we get some stoicism again and through Seneca.

    5 votes
    1. [3]
      Comment deleted by author
      Link Parent
      1. RobotOverlord525
        Link Parent
        Yeah, he has such a distinct appearance I'm disappointed they didn't go with someone who at least kind of looks like him. There weren't any wide faced, curly haired actors who could play the role...

        The emperor's are Geta and a seriously miscast Caracalla

        Yeah, he has such a distinct appearance I'm disappointed they didn't go with someone who at least kind of looks like him. There weren't any wide faced, curly haired actors who could play the role well?

        I would need to watch the trailer more closely to confirm, but they seem to be going with the "effeminate men are bad" trope, which really doesn't fit Caracalla. (But maybe that's more Geta they're doing that with rather than Caracalla?)

        I get that they wanted to put this movie into the Colosseum again, but the story of Geta, Caracalla, and Macrinus practically writes itself. They could put Maximus's son into the role of Martialis, if they really wanted, though that would require him to be a soldier in the legions rather than a gladiator.

        2 votes
      2. BeanBurrito
        Link Parent
        I thought I heard "Nero" in the trailer. Oh well.

        I thought I heard "Nero" in the trailer. Oh well.

        1 vote
  6. screamname
    Link
    I'm not one to point to youtube comments, but yeesh that trailer deserves it.

    I'm not one to point to youtube comments, but yeesh that trailer deserves it.

    4 votes
  7. [2]
    conception
    Link
    Oh thank god, they made Gladiator 2, The Gladdening; the movie we have been clamoring for! Sadly looks like “Lets do the first movie again and see if anyone notices…”

    Oh thank god, they made Gladiator 2, The Gladdening; the movie we have been clamoring for!

    Sadly looks like “Lets do the first movie again and see if anyone notices…”

    3 votes
    1. DFGdanger
      Link Parent
      Somehow, Emperor Commodus returned...

      Somehow, Emperor Commodus returned...

      1 vote