With the highly anticipated Gladiator 2 set to hit theaters on November 15, it's already facing heavy criticism. One of the most talked-about critiques comes from a renowned historian, who has taken issue with several scenes in the film. Want to know why Gladiator 2 is already sparking debate? Get all the juicy details here!
The film, featuring a cast that includes Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, and Denzel Washington, is set to hit theaters on November 15. However, even before its release, the epic film is already stirring up controversy.
Professor Shadi Bartsch, a scholar specializing in the classical period at the University of Chicago, called the film 'Hollywood nonsense' in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
Bartsch argues that while the Romans did host underwater battles and filled the arena with water, they were not aware of sharks, as depicted in the film.
While Bartsch acknowledges that rhinos did indeed appear in the arena, she disagrees with the depiction of them having two horns instead of one, as shown in the film. Additionally, she finds the idea of gladiators attempting to ride rhinos historically inaccurate.
In one scene from Gladiator 2, a Roman noble is seen drinking tea and reading a morning newspaper in a café. Bartsch refutes the authenticity of this scene, saying, 'The printing press was invented about 1200 years later. There were no newspapers back then—only daily news, which was carved and placed in specific locations. You had to go there to read it. You couldn’t hold a newspaper in your hands. Also, there were no cafés!'