'Gladiator II' and the Fall of the New Roman Empire

On Tuesday, November 5, 2024, I had a front-row seat for the fall of the new Roman Empire. No, I’m not talking about the result of the U.S. presidential election. I’m talking about my position in the theater at Gladiator II’s Asian premiere, which served as the centerpiece screening of this year’s Tokyo International Film Festival. Before the lights went down, Denzel Washington, returning cast…