PARAMOUNT SHOWS ‘GLADIATOR 2’ AS DISNEY GOES R-RATED

Paramount Pictures unveiled gory first-look footage from Gladiator 2 as Disney put on an unusually R-rated presentation for movie theatre bosses at the final day of CinemaCon in Las Vegas on Thursday.

In an extended trailer for the long-awaited Gladiator sequel, star Paul Mescal does battle in a Colosseum filled with rhinos, bloodthirsty baboons and even floating Roman warships, egged on by Denzel Washington’s shadowy adviser.

The footage was met with an enthusiastic thumbs up at CinemaCon, an annual gathering at which Hollywood studios showcase their upcoming titles for movie theatre owners and managers from around the world.

Ridley Scott’s sequel will hit theatres in November, nearly 25 years after the release of the original, Oscar best picture-winning historical epic Gladiator.

All this week, promotional marble statues for Gladiator 2 have adorned the casino floors of Caesars Palace, the Ancient Rome-themed casino and hotel in Las Vegas where CinemaCon is held.

As the previous film’s main characters, played by Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix, were killed off, a new crop of actors step in.

The lavish presentation raised cheers even as both Paramount and the wider big-screen industry face uncertain times.

The parent company of Paramount, one of Hollywood’s oldest studios, is locked in merger talks with Skydance, a media company founded by the billionaire Ellison family.

Meanwhile overall Hollywood box office receipts are expected to fall this year, largely due to last year’s actors and writer strikes, which shuttered and delayed film productions. Paramount film chief Brian Robbins even joked about the merger talks, suggesting one of his executives had launched a crowd-funded campaign to buy the studio.

R-RATED DISNEY

Later on Thursday, Disney rounded off CinemaCon with its own star-studded presentation, which took an unexpectedly adult turn.

The showcase included appearances from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson , promoting this November’s Moana 2 release and Amy Poehler, who returns in Inside Out 2 this June.

But the family-friendly studio’s presentation departed from the usual script with a glimpse of Deadpool & Wolverine, Disney’s first R-rated superhero movie.

The film sees Reynolds’ potty-mouthed anti-hero team up with Hugh Jackman's beloved X-Men star.

Both characters were previously owned by 20th Century Fox.

But Disney bought that rival studio and its properties in 2019, and is now weaving them into its hugely popular Marvel film series. — AFP.