ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Almost 20 years after Pepsi debuted the iconic "Roman Empire" commercial that featured pop icons such as Britney Spears, Beyoncé, and Pink, the soft drink company is bringing back the campaign with a new, reimagined look.
Pepsi took to social media on Thursday to announce the new gladiator-themed ad that features rapper Megan Thee Stallion, Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen, along with NFL stars Travis Kelce, Derrick Henry, and Justin Jefferson.
The roughly three-minute-long video takes place in a colosseum setting based on Paramount Pictures' upcoming movie "Gladiator II."
"Bringing the epic world of Gladiator II to life in a modern, dynamic way through this Pepsi campaign was incredibly exciting,” said Director Jake Scott.
"We wanted to create a visual spectacle that captured the energy and intensity of the sport while also paying homage to the iconic film and the original Pepsi campaign."
Allen, along with Kelce, Henry, and Jefferson are tasked with fighting off tigers at the command of 'Empress Megan' before they can officially "Let Gameday Begin," the title of PepsiCo's 2024 NFL season kickoff campaign.
"I’m honored to follow in the footsteps of the legends who appeared in this Gladiator campaign 20 years ago and proud to have carved my own new legacy,” said Megan Thee Stallion. “Pepsi really brought the worlds of music, sports, and entertainment together in a powerful way to set off the new NFL season."
The video even features a new song by the three-time Grammy award winner titled "We Will Rock You (Megan Thee Stallion Version)”, sampled from Queen's greatest hits "We Will Rock You."
"It was fun putting my creative flip on such an iconic Queen song and I can’t wait for the Hotties to hear it!"
After earning the ultimate prize, "a sip of ice-cold Pepsi," the camera fades out showing what appears to be a depiction of the new Bills stadium.
You can watch the full video of "Gridiron Gladiator" Josh Allen by clicking the link here.