Gladiator II has only just arrived in theaters, but the sequel's cinematographer, John Mathieson, is making it clear that he didn't enjoy his latest collaboration with filmmaker Sir Ridley

The cinematographer for Gladiator 2 branded its director Ridley Scott "impatient" in a recent interview. John Mathieson, who worked with the renowned British director on both 2000's Gladiator and its 2024 sequel, criticized Scott's increasing reliance on CGI.

The filmmaker talks about the work that went into completing 'Gladiator II,' from executing key sequences to casting its stars

Gladiator II’s cinematographer has accused Sir Ridley Scott of lazy filmmaking. John Mathieson, the award-winning director’s long-time cinematographer, accused Sir Ridley ’s method of becoming “rushed”.

Now, director Ridley Scott is returning to ancient Rome with the long-awaited sequel, "Gladiator II" which hits theaters Friday. The film stars Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, and Pedro Pascal in a story set in the same brutal Roman Empire —one that didn't leave Scott's mind in the years since its first release.

Gladiator II is one of Ridley Scott's highest grossing films, and has propelled his career box office to new heights.

John Mathieson gave a reflective interview speaking of how the director had 'changed' and was now 'quite impatient' on set adding this had had a negative impact on the finished product.