Wicked

In honor of Gladiator/Wicked release weekend, the lyrics of Popular made me think of Gladiator??? The song is all about how popularity is vital to growing and elevating to the position you want to be, and how politicians and communicators have nothing without being liked! That's literally all Commodus wanted in the first movie, and the strategy Denzel Washington was using in the 2nd one positioning himself to be more liked than the twin emperors (aka Madame Morrible creating a common enemy out of Elphaba) regardless of the cost of innocent people