In ‘Gladiator II,’ Ridley Scott Sifts Through the Past to See Our Future

Story by Jackie Strause

Image from The Hollywood Reporter

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87-year-old visionary Ridley Scott tackles Gladiator II, sifting through history to examine humanity's future and the timeless struggle between chaos and hope.

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Gladiator II's villain Macrinus is inspired by Trump, a 'clever gangster' who creates chaos to seize power, challenging Ridley Scott's depiction of the noble Emperor Aurelius.
In Gladiator II, Scott revisits themes from Alien: Covenant, exploring how AI can twist and destroy humanity, while still leaving a glimmer of hope that the cycle of violence can be broken.

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Ridley Scott, Richard Newby, Russell Crowe, Denzel Washington, Richard Harris, Paul Mescal, Joaquin Phoenix, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Matt Damon, Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Christopher Plummer, Adam Driver, Lady Gaga, Elon Musk, Alien, Blade Runner, Prometheus, Alien: Covenant, The Martian, All the Money in the World, The Last Duel, House of Gucci, Napoleon, Gladiator II, Wicked

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