Gladiator 2 soundtrack: Which songs are in the score and more?
The sequel's soundtrack has a lot to live up to after the first film's iconic score.
When it comes to movie soundtracks, they don't come much more epic or recognisable than the one used for Sir Ridley Scott's 2000 film Gladiator.
Now, with the long-awaited sequel Gladiator 2 mere weeks away, all eyes (or should we say all ears) will be focussed on what this new historical epic has to offer.
The film stars Paul Mescal as Lucius, the former heir to the Roman Empire who becomes a gladiator after his home is invaded by the Roman
army. Scott has returned to direct, and fans have already got a glimpse of what to expect thanks to a trailer which was released in July 2024.
But who's composing the score for the new film and what do we know about the soundtrack for Gladiator 2 so far? Read on for everything you need to know.
Gladiator 2 soundtrack: Full list of score tracks
The following tracks from the score for Gladiator 2 have been revealed.
- Gladiator II Overture
- Lucius, Arishat And The Roman Invasion
- I’ll Wait For You
- Ostia
- Angry Baboons
- Strength And Honor
- Acacius Returns
- City Of Rome
- Defiance
- I See Him In You
- Acacius In The Colosseum
- Let The Gods Decide
- Macrinus’ Plan
- I Need You To Do This
- Smooth Is The Descent
- Now That I Have Found You
- Echoes In Eternity
- War, Real War
- The Dream Is Lost
- Now We Are Free
It remains to be seen if further tracks will be revealed.
When is the Gladiator 2 soundtrack released?
The Gladiator 2 soundtrack will be released on Digital Vinyl and CD on 15th November 2024.
The score is available now to pre-order on Amazon.
Who is composing the score for Gladiator 2?
While the iconic score for the first film came from Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard, neither have returned to compose the score for Gladiator 2.
Instead, the score will be composed by Harry Gregson-Williams, who has previously written the score for films such as The Martian, The Last Duel and Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, and started his career as Zimmer's assistant.
Explaining his decision not to return in an interview with Curzon, Zimmer said: "It’s really very simple. I’ve done that world. And I think I did it well. And all I’d do is set myself up for either trying to repeat myself, which I don’t want to do, or getting slaughtered by critics who say you didn’t do it as well as you did the first time.
"We have a gladiator fight in Dune: Part Two, right? We have a gladiator fight in Gladiator, obviously, but they couldn’t be more different! I liked the idea of moving on and not getting compared to my own work. One way or the other I’d had enough of that, doing three Batman movies or four Pirates [of the Caribbean] movies or four Kung Fu Panda movies.
"And Gladiator takes a special place in my heart. I think it’s completely undisciplined. It wouldn’t have mattered if I had written the most amazing score, because the music in the first movie sticks in people’s hearts.
"I had that experience doing the live[-action] version of The Lion King. I tried to step out of my own vocabulary. Every time I did, it just didn’t work. So all I could do was repeat myself. You owe it to yourself, and to the audience, to try to do new things.
"And I want to say something about [Gladiator 2 composer] Harry Gregson Williams, who started out as my assistant. He was very good friends with both Tony and Ridley Scott. Harry is family for me. He’s a phenomenal composer.
"That film is in really good hands. Trust me. Harry and I have spoken about it. He feels the old score barking at his heels a little bit. So he’s on his A game."
Which song features in the Gladiator 2 trailer?
The first Gladiator 2 trailer was released on Tuesday 9th July, and features the 2012 song No Church in the Wild by Jay-Z and Kanye West, featuring Frank Ocean and The-Dream.
The song was previously used prominently in both the trailer for and in a scene in 2013's The Great Gatsby.
The choice of the song was criticised by some, who felt the use of modern hip-hop to soundtrack the film set in ancient Rome was jarring and took them out of the story.
Gladiator 2 will arrive in cinemas on 15th November.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
