Gladiator II (soundtrack)
| Gladiator II (Music from the Motion Picture) | ||||
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| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | 15 November 2024 | |||
| Studio | Abbey Road Studios | |||
| Genre | Film score | |||
| Length | 72:14 | |||
| Label | Decca | |||
| Producer | Harry Gregson-Williams | |||
| Harry Gregson-Williams film score chronology | ||||
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| Ridley Scott film score chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Gladiator II (Music from the Motion Picture) | ||||
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Gladiator II (Music from the Motion Picture) is the soundtrack album composed by Harry Gregson-Williams for the 2024 film Gladiator II by Ridley Scott. It was released on 15 November 2024, the same date as the film's theatrical release in the United Kingdom.
Background
[edit]Harry Gregson-Williams was announced as the film's composer on 5 January 2024.[1] Hans Zimmer, who had composed the score to the 2000 film Gladiator, chose not to score its sequel, stating, "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."[2] Gregson-Williams began his career as an assistant to Zimmer, with Zimmer calling him a "phenomenal composer" and stating that Gladiator II was "in really good hands".[3][4]
Production
[edit]Gregson-Williams wrote 100 minutes of original music for Gladiator II. In addition to conveying the emotional heart of the film, he sought to create a unique and exotic sound that evoked the time period.[5] He discovered Spanish musician Abraham Cupeiro, who specializes in ancient instruments, including the Celtic carnyx the Roman cornu and the Greek aulos.[6][7] His score also includes an electric cello motif for Denzel Washington's character, Macrinus, performed by Martin Tillman.[5]
Gregson-Williams employed a 90-piece orchestra and 100-voice choir for his score.[8] The score was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in early 2024.[9][10]
Release
[edit]The soundtrack was released on 15 November 2024, the same date as the film's theatrical release in the United Kingdom.[11] In addition to streaming and digital download, it was also released on CD and LP.[12]
Singles
[edit]The soundtrack album was preceded by a single release, "Strength and Honor", on 4 October 2024.[11]
Track listing
[edit]All tracks are written by Harry Gregson-Williams, except where noted.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Performer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Gladiator II Overture" | 3:00 | ||
| 2. | "Lucius, Arishat and the Roman Invasion" | 8:34 | ||
| 3. | "I'll Wait for You" | 5:50 | ||
| 4. | "Ostia" | 4:11 | ||
| 5. | "Angry Baboons" | 2:00 | ||
| 6. | "Strength and Honor" | 3:21 | ||
| 7. | "Acacius Returns" | 1:26 | ||
| 8. | "City of Rome" | 1:55 | ||
| 9. | "Defiance" | 0:55 | ||
| 10. | "I See Him in You" | 2:58 | ||
| 11. | "Acacius in the Colosseum" | 6:43 | ||
| 12. | "Let the Gods Decide" | 4:07 | ||
| 13. | "Macrinus' Plan" | 3:33 | ||
| 14. | "I Need You to Do This" | 3:51 | ||
| 15. | "Smooth Is the Descent" | 4:21 | ||
| 16. | "Now That I Have Found You" | 2:43 | ||
| 17. | "Echoes in Eternity" | 2:15 | ||
| 18. | "War, Real War" | 3:29 | ||
| 19. | "The Dream Is Lost" | 2:45 | ||
| 20. | "Now We Are Free" |
| 4:17 | |
| Total length: | 72:14 | |||
Charts
[edit]| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[13] | 85 |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[14] | 161 |
| UK Album Downloads (OCC)[15] | 31 |
| UK Soundtrack Albums (OCC)[16] | 1 |
Release history
[edit]| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various | 15 November 2024 | Decca Records | [12] |
References
[edit]- ^ Ritman, Alex (5 January 2024). "Ridley Scott's 'Gladiator 2' Taps Harry Gregson-Williams as Composer (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
- ^ Warmann, Amon (6 March 2024). "Hans Zimmer: 'I Had to Change Style Because Everyone Else was Doing Mine'". Curzon. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
- ^ Shaw Roberts, Maddy (24 November 2024). "Gladiator 2 soundtrack: who composed it and which themes feature?". Classic FM. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ Chitwood, Adam (6 March 2024). "Hans Zimmer Reveals Why He's Not Returning to Score 'Gladiator 2'". TheWrap. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
- ^ a b Huver, Scott (2 November 2024). "'Gladiator II' Composer Harry Gregson-Williams Sought Mentor Hans Zimmer's Approval To Tackle Sequel From The First Film – Sound & Screen Film". Deadline. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
- ^ Beek, Michael. "The ancient and unusual musical sounds at the heart of Gladiator II". BBC Music Magazine. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ Díaz de Quijano, Fernando (17 November 2024). "Abraham Cupeiro, el español que resucita instrumentos milenarios y ha puesto música a 'Gladiator II'". El Español (in Spanish). Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ Burlingame, Jon (29 November 2024). "Period Films Inspire Scores with Unusual Instruments, Surprising Sounds". Variety. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
- ^ Gregson-Williams, Harry [@harrygwmusic] (29 April 2024). "What a privilege it was to be back at Abbey Road Studios once again with all these incredible musicians. This time recording music for the epic, Gladiator II". Retrieved 3 November 2024 – via Instagram.
- ^ Experience the Music of Gladiator II | Behind the scoring with Ridley Scott, Harry Gregson-Williams. Paramount Pictures. 10 October 2024. Retrieved 3 November 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b Aniftos, Rania (4 October 2024). "'Gladiator II' Soundtrack by Composer Harry Gregson-Williams Gets Release Date". Billboard. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ a b Hibbs, James (25 January 2024). "Gladiator 2 soundtrack: Which songs are in the score and more?". Radio Times. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Soundtrack / Harry Gregson-Williams – Gladiator II" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
- ^ "Ultratop.be – Soundtrack / Harry Gregson-Williams – Gladiator II" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
- ^ "Official Album Downloads Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
- ^ "Official Soundtrack Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 November 2024.