Gladiator II Reactions: First Impressions to Early Screening

Originally posted on Men's Journal | By Griff Griffin | Last updated Nov 5, 2024 2:47 PM ET

The first reactions to Gladiator II are out after Ridley Scott’s historical epic was shown off to UK audiences.

Screened to a packed IMAX theater in London last night, the early look comes a full week before its UK release on November 15, and two weeks before the US release on November 22.

Paramount clearly has confidence in the film by revealing it so far ahead of time, and the studio isn’t wrong. The crowd loved it, judging by the applause it received as the credits rolled.

Paramount

Reviews are embargoed until November 11, but attendees are free to share their reactions across social media. The bulk of them were positive, as you can see below.

The sequel to 2000’s Oscar-winning Gladiator stars Paul Mescal as a captured slave forced to fight in the colosseum to earn his freedom. Meanwhile, the future of Rome is at stake as two conniving emperors (Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger) hoard the wealth for themselves.

As the lights came up, there was chatter about Denzel Washington’s magnetic performance in particular, as well as the standout action sequence involving a flooded coliseum and hungry great white sharks - far-fetched, admittedly, but an awesome spectacle on a 60ft screen.

Gladiator II might be the best film ever made. pic.twitter.com/e0nsfxHj6g
— Chris Edwards (@CineWipe) November 4, 2024

#Gladiator was an elemental fable of redemption and bloodshed. #Gladiator2 plays in a jumble of fast-forward and reverse, sometimes denying us emotional context, at other times over-delivering to the extent the film is cowed by the original. Denzel Washington however rips it up pic.twitter.com/imwAt2Fy4p
— Sean Wilson (@seano22) November 4, 2024

Admittedly I was nervous about a Gladiator legacy sequel but Ridley Scott’s #Gladiator2 gets a big crowdpleasing thumbs up from me.
This swords & sandals epic is easily his best film in ages and will be your dad’s fav film of 2024. A dynamic cast with the standout being a… pic.twitter.com/uwc42qsOcv
— Luke Hearfield (@LukeHearfield) November 5, 2024

This article first appeared on Men's Journal and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: