The release of Gladiator II demonstrated the new playbook for blockbuster marketing. Instead of traditional trailers, the studio released on TikTok. This was paired with a podcast narrative ( The Rise of Numidia ) and a Roblox experience (Roman Empire Tycoon). The result: The film underperformed critically but became a $900M box office hit driven by Gen Z memes and costume play.

: Brands now design products and physical spaces (like "Instagrammable" cafes) specifically to be used as backdrops for poses, making the consumer a part of the marketing machine.