Ancient Rome Drama Set In The World Of Gladiators Gets Rotten Tomatoes Score Ahead Of Streaming Debut

Summary Those About to Die has received a 54% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes before streaming on Peacock.

The score may change as more reviews come in, and audience scores will be added after episodes stream.

Set in ancient Rome, the series stars Anthony Hopkins and Iwan Rheon, known from Game of Thrones.

Those About to Die has received its Rotten Tomatoes score before it begins streaming on Peacock. Set in ancient Rome, the series stars Anthony Hopkins and Iwan Rheon, with Rheon best known for his Game of Thrones role as Ramsay Bolton. Hopkins plays Emperor Vespasian, who took power after a tumultuous year when three previous emperors died or were assassinated, while Rheon plays Tenax, who is a crime boss in the Roman underworld and tied to the widespread practices of gambling on the outcomes of the gladiator games and chariot races.

Rotten Tomatoes calculated an official Tomatometer score for Those About to Die before its July 18 debut, with 24 different critics weighing in. At the time of writing, the series has earned a 54% score. This will likely fluctuate with the addition of more reviews throughout the week. It may even tip over the 60% threshold to be considered Fresh, though so far it has remained in the 50% to 59% range despite 10 additional reviews being added after its score first debuted. The audience score for the series is similarly low, hitting 56% after its first day on Peacock.

What Critics Are Saying About Those About To Die

Critics Are Divided On Certain Elements Of The Series

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Despite the Rotten rating, critics largely praised Those About to Die's high production value, which brings the massive scale of the Roman Empire and the gladiator games to life. While many other stories primarily explore just the gladiators and politicians in ancient Rome, this series delves into the criminal underworld and darker corners of everyday life alongside the lives of the Emperor, his sons, and those around them in the court. However, critics are divided on whether this exploration is successfully executed.

Related Those About To Die Cast & Character Guide The swords-and-sandals epic series by Roland Emmerich is now streaming on Peacock, and its talented ensemble cast is headlined by some big names.

The writing seems to be one of the series' weaker points, with the critics saying the scripts are unable to support the drama, political intrigue, and characters who must do whatever it takes to survive in a ruthless world. They say that the series struggles to effectively balance its many characters and storylines. The political dynamics, lack of heroic characters, and scale of the violent action inevitably draw comparisons to Game of Thrones, although even the most complimentary critics acknowledge that the Those About to Die show is not on the same level as the critically acclaimed HBO series.

A possible season 2 [could allow] it a chance of redemption.

The consensus seems to be that it is an enjoyable series for those who enjoy violent spectacle and political drama, but that it lacks substance, especially when compared to HBO's Game of Thrones or Rome, the latter of which also takes place in the ancient Roman empire. While critics say Those About to Die does not live up to its full potential, it remains to be seen a possible season 2 allows it a chance of redemption. It would need strong viewership to make up for its lavish budget, but a renewal is entirely within the realm of possibility.

Will Those About To Die Hurt Gladiator 2?

The Upcoming Ridley Scott Movie Covers Similar Ground

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If the 2024 sequel follows in the footsteps of the original Gladiator, which has a Certified Fresh 80% score on Rotten Tomatoes and won five Oscars including Best Picture, it could clear the taste of Those About To Die out of critics' mouths.

One possible result of this Rotten score is that it could make the upcoming Gladiator II look even more enticing. The belated sequel to 2000's Gladiator, which was helmed by returning director Ridley Scott and premieres on November 22, is inextricably interrelated with the Peacock show. Not only is Those About to Die based on the Daniel P. Mannix book of the same name that also inspired the 2000 movie, but the fact that it was filmed at Rome's Cinecittà Studios forced the Scott sequel to shoot outside Italy, as both projects were in production at the same time.

Related Where Was Those About To Die Filmed? Anthony Hopkins' Gladiator Show Filming Locations Explained Viewers who are marathoning the new sword-and-sandal series Those About To Die are wondering where the Anthony Hopkins-led gladiator show was filmed.

If the 2024 sequel follows in the footsteps of the original Gladiator, which has a Certified Fresh 80% score on Rotten Tomatoes and won five Oscars including Best Picture, it could clear the taste of Those About To Die out of critics' mouths. A Fresh or even Certified Fresh score for the upcoming swords-and-sandals epic, which stars Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn, and Denzel Washington, could also boost audience anticipation by putting it in sharp relief against the similar series. However, that's not a guarantee considering Scott's recent uneven Rotten Tomatoes track record.

Ridley Scott's Directorial Features 2008-2023 Title RT Score Body of Lies (2008) 56% Robin Hood (2010) 44% Prometheus (2012) 73% The Counselor (2013) 34% Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014) 31% The Martian (2015) 91% Alien: Covenant (2017) 65% All the Money in the World (2017) 79% The Last Duel (2021) 85% House of Gucci (2021) 62% Napoleon (2023) 58%

If the Rotten Tomatoes score for Gladiator II falters, becoming Rotten or even just falling in the lower range of Fresh between 60% and 69%, it could suffer as a result. Having it at or below the score of Those About to Die could diminish audience interest in the sequel considerably. While it is still attached to a strong IP that more than quadrupled its $103 million budget in theaters, the market could become oversaturated with middling swords-and-sandals content, giving audiences gladiator fatigue and preventing the movie from doing as well as it could have otherwise.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes