Why are fans review-bombing the Gladiator II trailer?

Trailer has over 360,000 dislikes on YouTube – more than twice the number of likes – and counting

The Gladiator II trailer released last week is seemingly being review-bombed on YouTube, dividing fans over elements that have nothing to do with the film.

The first look at the sequel to Ridley Scott’s Oscar-winning epic was released on 9 July, starring Paul Mescal as Lucius, son of Lucilla, played by Connie Nielsen in the original. The film also stars Pedro Pascal as Marcus Acacius, Denzel Washington as Macrinus, and Stranger Things breakout Joseph Quinn as Emperor Geta.

The trailer has been viewed over 15 million times so far, garnering nearly 150,000 likes and over 360,000 dislikes and counting.

Some of the hate is aimed at the trailer’s editing, which many fans claim gives most of the film’s plot away.

“Can’t believe I just saw the whole movie in three minutes with a rap edit, no need to waste a couple hours in a theatre,” one fan’s comment on the YouTube trailer reads.

The majority of the dislikes, however, stem from the use of Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “No Church in the Wild”, with many asking what a rap song is doing in a film about the Roman Empire.

“Whoever decided to add a Jay-Z song into the Gladiator 2 trailer should be fired forever,” a viewer said on X.

Another commented on YouTube: “Great choice of music...All that’s missing is Dom Toretto drifting round the Colosseum in a modified chariot.”

Fans have complained that the song “absolutely ruins the vibe” and they couldn’t understand how “we went from Hans Zimmer to freakin’ Spotify music”.

Pedro Pascal in Gladiator II (Paramount Pictures)

Though fans are clamouring for a Hans Zimmer score, the famed composer isn’t returning for Gladiator II.

In an interview with Curzon, he said he didn’t want to return for the sequel because he did not want to be compared to his original score.

“I liked the idea of moving on and not getting compared to my own work,” he said.

“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.”

Gladiator II is scored by Harry Gregson-Williams, who started out as Zimmer’s assistant.

Another reason for dislikes for the trailer is the casting of Denzel Washington as power broker Macrinus, with several comments veering into racist territory.

Many are questioning Washington’s New York accent in a so-called classic film, ignoring the fact that a film set in Rome using a British accent doesn’t make it historically accurate.

Denzel Washington in Gladiator II (Paramount)

“No one would have ever guessed Denzel playing himself in a Roman Empire movie with a Jay-Z soundtrack,” reads a comment on the trailer. Another echoes the sentiment: “Is Denzel playing a time traveller? He’s acting like someone from 2024 who’s gone back to ancient Rome for a laugh.”

Some fans have pointed out that one of the trailers for the original film featured “Bawitaba” by Kid Rock and several have called out the flimsy criticism of Washington.

“People hating on Gladiator 2 because of Denzel’s accent are stupid. Do they realise that people in Ancient Rome did not speak in British accents,” one viewer said on X.

The plot synopsis for the film reads: “Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius 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 honour to return the glory of Rome to its people.”

Gladiator II is expected to release in theatres on 15 November.