Academy Award-winning director Oliver Stone explains why he did not likeGladiator 2. Since its release,Gladiator 2’s reviewshave elicited a mixed response from critics, while general audiences have received the long-awaited sequel more favorably. The movie currently has a 71% Tomatometer score and 82% Popcornmeter score. WithGladiator 2being revealed asChristopher Nolan’s favorite 2024 movie, one of Hollywood’s most prominent filmmakers is a fan of the Ridley Scott-directed film.
While speaking on thePBDpodcast,Stone made it clear that he does not share Nolan’s enthusiasm forGladiator 2. Stone acknowledged that the movie was made well on a technical level and was entertaining to watch. However, he found it difficult to be invested in the characters and the story, describing the sequel as"empty calories"and"a commercial product"that paled in comparison to the originalGladiatormovie. Check out Stone’s comments below:
It’s certainly watchable. It’s good, well made, usual tight Ridley film, but I didn’t care about the people. I wasn’t invested. The first one was a classic. The second one is empty calories, like a commercial product.
What This Means For Gladiator 2
It Is Not As Universally Beloved As Its Predecessor
The juxtaposition between Stone and Nolan’s reviewsreflects the divided critical response toGladiator 2. Scott’s ability to direct a well-paced, highly entertaining movie is still being praised, as are many of the movie’s technical achievements. However, the reception to the story and the characters is not as positive as it was forGladiator.Denzel Washington’s Macrinusis the only character who is consistently praised in the sequel’s reviews, with Washington’s performance considered one of the best parts of the movie.
Every Real Person In Gladiator 2 & What Happened To Them In Real Life
Gladiator II follows in the footsteps of the first Gladiator movie by featuring many characters based on or inspired by real historical figures.
In Nolan’s review, he mentions thatGladiator 2"must be a remake and sequel in one,“a feat he feels the movie does well. Thesefamiliar story beats did not work well for Stone, though, who was unable to find reasons to care about Lucius and the rest ofGladiator 2’s characters. As a sequel made 24 years after the original movie,Gladiator 2had little choice but to a sequel and remake, especially since the original movie’s ended the story of its protagonist, Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe), but this does not change Stone’s outlook on the new movie.
Our Take On Oliver Stone’s Comments
He Makes A Valid Point About The Characters
While Stone’s"empty calories"and"commercial product"comments are somewhat harsh, I agree about not being as invested inGladiator 2as I was inGladiator. The original movie helped me get invested in Maximus by showing his relationships with Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) and Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) before the horrific injustices he faced.Gladiator 2could have benefited from spending more time with Lucius and showing his life in Numidiabefore the Romans invaded. IfGladiator 3happens, it may be easier to be invested in Lucius now that his character is fully established.
Gladiator II
Cast
Gladiator 2 is the follow-up to Ridley Scott’s award-winning film Gladiator from 2000. Scott returns to direct the sequel, with Paul Mescal staring as Lucius, alongside Denzel Washington and Joseph Quinn as the villain Emperor Geta. Gladiator 2 had been stuck in development hell for years before a script written by David Scarpa finally moved forward.
