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The ‘Gladiator II’ Trailer Is Getting Review Bombed for Three Reasons

The trailer suggests the long-awaited sequel could be a big hit for Paramount, but some fans think way too much about the Roman Empire.

The action-packed trailer for Paramount’s Gladiator II has racked up 215 million global cross-platform views in just a few days and suggests Ridley Scott might have pulled off his long-awaited sequel to his Oscar-winning 2000 epic. The second reason — and this is by far the most cited — is the trailer uses Kanye West and Jay-Z’s “No Church in the Wild.” Some are asking, “Why have rap music in a movie about the Roman Empire?” Admittedly, part of the original Gladiator ’s appeal was that it was unabashedly classical — a throwback to sandal-and-toga epics like Ben Hur and Spartacus. Washington is also starring in Training Day director Antoine Fuqua’s upcoming and as-yet-untitled Netflix feature about the Roman-era commander Hannibal, written by original Gladiator scribe John Logan.

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