Honestly, if you grew up in the early 2000s, you probably remember exactly where you were when the Pepsi commercial We Will Rock You first hit the screen. It wasn't just a commercial; it was a three-minute cinematic event that felt more like a summer blockbuster than a soda ad. You had Britney Spears, Beyoncé, and Pink—arguably the three biggest pop forces on the planet at the time—standing in the middle of a Roman Colosseum, dressed in leather and metal, ready to take down an emperor.
It’s one of those rare moments in marketing history where the stars aligned perfectly. But the story behind how this gladiatorial epic came together is even more chaotic and expensive than the final cut suggests. From the "Pepsi money" that flew everyone to Rome to the fact that the commercial almost didn't air in the United States, there’s a lot people get wrong about this 2004 masterpiece.
The Legend of the 2004 Gladiator Epic
Most people think this was a Super Bowl ad. It actually wasn’t—at least not in the U.S. initially. While it became a global phenomenon, the Pepsi commercial We Will Rock You was part of the "Dare for More" campaign, primarily targeting the European and international markets. It premiered with massive fanfare in London’s Trafalgar Square, a scale of promotion usually reserved for Bond movies.
The premise was simple but effective: Enrique Iglesias plays a pampered, slightly smug Roman Emperor. He’s sitting in his royal box, ready to watch three female gladiators fight to the death. But instead of killing each other, Britney, Beyoncé, and Pink throw their weapons into the sand. They start that iconic stomp-stomp-clap rhythm. They choose to rock the crowd instead of serving the crown.
Who Really Directed This?
The visual flair didn’t happen by accident. The ad was directed by Tarsem Singh, the visionary filmmaker known for The Fall and The Cell. If you look at the saturated colors and the sweeping shots of the arena, his fingerprints are everywhere. He didn't just want a "music video" vibe; he wanted it to feel gritty, expensive, and ancient.
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Behind the Scenes: Rome, CGI, and Queen Cameos
A common misconception is that they just filmed this on a green screen in a Burbank studio. Not quite. Pepsi actually flew the stars out to Rome. While they didn't film inside the actual Colosseum (which is a protected historical site, obviously), they used the legendary Cinecittà Studios, where a massive, incredibly detailed set was constructed just down the street from the real ruins.
Pink once famously joked in an interview that they could have filmed it anywhere, but it was "Pepsi money," so they went to Italy.
The Crowd Was Mostly Fake
While the first few rows of the arena were filled with real extras who were genuinely losing their minds over seeing three pop icons in person, the rest of the 50,000 "spectators" were digital. The production team used the exact same CGI technology and "Massive" software that Ridley Scott used for the 2000 film Gladiator.
Brian May and Roger Taylor Were There
The music wasn't just a cheap cover. Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen actually reworked the track specifically for this commercial. If you watch closely during the crowd shots, you can see both of them sitting in the audience, cheering along. Brian May later said he could "die happy" after being part of that production. It was a passing of the torch from classic rock royalty to the new pop guard.
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Why the Pepsi Commercial We Will Rock You Still Matters
It’s easy to look back and call it "cringe" or "over-the-top," but for 2004, this was peak "Girl Power" feminism. This was years before the "Me Too" movement or the modern push for female empowerment in media, yet here were three women refusing to fight each other for the entertainment of a man. Instead, they overthrew him and "redistributed the wealth"—which, in this case, was just cans of Pepsi.
The Cost of Excellence
While the exact budget is a closely guarded secret, industry insiders have estimated the production cost at over $30 million. That includes the talent fees for four of the biggest stars in the world, the Queen licensing, the Rome travel, and the high-end CGI. In today's dollars, that’s an astronomical amount for a single commercial.
The 2024 "Gladiator II" Spiritual Successor
History repeated itself recently. In late 2024, Pepsi released a "spiritual sequel" to promote Gladiator II. This time, it featured Megan Thee Stallion as the Empress and NFL stars like Travis Kelce and Josh Allen as the gladiators. While Megan did her own rap-heavy remix of "We Will Rock You," the nostalgia for the original Britney-Beyoncé-Pink trio was so strong that the old commercial started trending again on social media.
What Most People Miss About the Costumes
The costumes were designed to be both functional and fashion-forward. Beyoncé’s outfit, in particular, has become iconic in her "style history." Each singer had a slightly different look that matched their "brand" at the time:
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- Britney Spears: The classic, high-energy performer look with a bit of a rebellious edge.
- Pink: More rugged and punk-rock, fitting her "tough girl" image.
- Beyoncé: Regal and powerful, foreshadowing her eventual "Queen Bey" status.
Practical Insights: How to Revisit the Moment
If you want to dive back into this piece of pop culture history, you don't have to rely on grainy 240p YouTube clips from 2006.
- Watch the Remastered Version: Several fans have used AI upscaling to bring the commercial into 4K. It looks incredible and allows you to see the detail in the armor and the Queen cameos much more clearly.
- Listen to the Full Track: There is a full three-minute version of the song where the vocals aren't interrupted by the sound effects of lions and clashing swords. It’s a surprisingly solid cover that stands up on its own.
- Check the Credits: If you’re a film nerd, looking into Tarsem Singh’s other commercial work (like his Nike ads) shows how he used this Pepsi spot to bridge the gap between advertising and art.
The Pepsi commercial We Will Rock You remains a high-water mark for the era of "super-commercials." It proved that if you have enough budget, the right talent, and a legendary soundtrack, you can create something that people will still be talking about twenty years later. It wasn't just selling soda; it was selling a vibe that defined an entire decade of entertainment.
To truly appreciate the legacy, look for the "Making Of" documentaries that were released on international DVDs at the time. They reveal the sheer scale of the Cinecittà set, which was essentially a functional stadium built from scratch. You can also track down the original press releases from Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, the agency that brokered the deal, to see how they managed to coordinate the schedules of three of the busiest women in music for a single week in Rome.