The composer said he was ‘rather surprised’ but ‘very happy’ to see the music shortlisted for best original score at the Oscars.

After months of waiting and expectation, the long-awaited sequel to Gladiator arrived at my local cinema. I was characteristically early, too early, enduring the 20 minutes of adverts by gorging on my supply of popcorn and coke.

The Irish actor turned heads alongside the King, Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington.