Historians tear Ridley Scott's Gladiator 2 apart over mistakes

The new Sandals movie “Gladiator II” will be released in November.Image: trapezoid

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14 years after “Gladiator” was released, the long-awaited sequel is about to be released. Like the first part of the battle and sandals epic, Gladiator 2 is directed by Ridley Scott.

The story takes place twenty years after the events of Gladiator Maximus. It's no surprise that Russell Crowe won't be returning to his most famous role. Instead, the story now revolves around his illegitimate son Lucius (played by Paul Mescal). Other stars include Pedro Pascal, Joseph Queen, Denzel Washington and Connie Nielsen.

This photo released by Paramount Pictures shows directors Ridley Scott (center) and Paul Mescal on the set of

Directed by Ridley Scott and Paul Mescal.Image: trapezoid

Severe criticism of Gladiator 2

This is a huge project put together by Ridley Scott. “Gladiator 2” is the director's second consecutive historical epic film; just last year, he filmed the life of French general Napoleon, starring Joaquin Phoenix.

Now repeat some reports about the extremely complex “Napoleon”: Historians are on the verge of a nervous breakdown seeing so many inaccuracies.

History professor Shadi Bartsch takes a closer look at Gladiator 2 and its treatment of ancient Rome. Bartsch holds degrees from Harvard, Princeton and Berkeley universities and has written several books about ancient Rome, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

So when she pointed out that the shark scene in the “Gladiator 2” trailer was more fiction than fact, she knew what she was talking about. She had an almost amusing reaction to a scene of a Roman nobleman drinking tea in a café and reading a paper newspaper:

«There were daily newspapers (Acta Diuma), but they were carved and placed in certain places. You have to go there, you can't leave them in the cafe. And there is no cafe there! “

huge expectations

Overall, Butch described Gladiator 2 as: “Total Hollywood crap.” It's a heartening verdict, but Ridley Scott probably won't let it bother him.

Gladiator 2 is said to have a budget of $310 million, which would make it one of the most expensive projects in film history. Paramount Studios guarantees the cost will be closer to $250 million, but that doesn't entirely disprove these reports.

Regardless, when Gladiator 2 opens in cinemas in German-speaking Switzerland and Ticino on November 14, 2024, expectations from both audiences and studios will be high. The film will be released in theaters in French-speaking Switzerland on November 13.