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Gladiator II Faces the Cinephile Hissy Fit Judgment

(Center) Paul Mescal in Gladiator II. Image courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

Golly, what is it about the appeal of legacy sequels lately? They’re all the nostalgic rage. At the same time, what is it about aging filmmakers needing to rehash or dabble in their former works at the end of their careers? The hosts of the Cinephile Hissy Fit podcast, sponsored and supported by the Ruminations Radio Network, address those two issues by way of the past winter’s tentpole Gladiator II and its legendary director Ridley Scott. Hollywood development hell delayed his dream, but it might be one that stayed in the old idea journal instead of a multi-million dollar would-be blockbuster. It’s a good thing Denzel Washington is the best part of the movie.

The cover photo of the Cinephile Hissy Fit podcast with guest Joel Winstead.

For their 183rd episode, two Romanesque film critics, two dirt-rubbing dads, and two non-emperor teachers, Will Johnson and Don Shanahan, came together for a recent new release they both had circled on their calendars for a long time even before 2024. Celebrated film director Ridley Scott stepped back into the Oscar-gilded Gladiator arena to make the long-distance sequel Gladiator II. This highly anticipated blockbuster did not go well with one of our hosts, causing them to live up to the pod’s name with different perspectives. Come learn more and stay for the mutual love and respect that fun movies encapsulate. Enjoy our podcast!
Cinephile Hissy Fit is a Film Obsessive media podcast, brought to you by the Ruminations Radio Network. Please visit, rate, review and subscribe. If you enjoyed this show, we have more where that came from, with interesting hosts, and wonderful guests. All are available on iTunes, Spotify, and anywhere you find your favorite shows. Follow the show on Twitter at @CinephileFit and on Facebook. Also, find both Will Johnson and Don Shanahan on Letterboxd as they accumulate their viewings and build their ranks and lists. Lastly, check out their TeePublic store for merchandise options from stickers to t-shirts!

Thank you so much for your captive audience and social media participation! Enjoy our new podcast episode!

Written by Don Shanahan

DON SHANAHAN is a Chicago-based Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic writing here on Film Obsessive as the Editor-in-Chief and Content Supervisor for the film department. He also writes for his own website, Every Movie Has a Lesson. Don is one of the hosts of the Cinephile Hissy Fit Podcast on the Ruminations Radio Network and sponsored by Film Obsessive. As a school teacher by day, Don writes his movie reviews with life lessons in mind, from the serious to the farcical. He is a proud director and one of the founders of the Chicago Indie Critics and a voting member of the nationally-recognized Critics Choice Association, Hollywood Creative Alliance, Online Film Critics Society, North American Film Critics Association, International Film Society Critics Association, Internet Film Critics Society, Online Film and TV Association, and the Celebrity Movie Awards.

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