Pepsi teams with Megan Thee Stallion for campaign kicking off NFL season, celebrating ‘Gladiator II’

With the NFL season starting, longtime sponsor Pepsi has tapped Megan Thee Stallion to kick it off with the Make Your Gameday Epic campaign, a gladiator-themed campaign that also celebrates the upcoming release of Paramount Pictures’ Gladiator II.

The short film finds Meg in the role of Empress Megan, who leads and cheers on a pack of NFL players-turned-gladiators as they go into battle. Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, Justin Jefferson and Travis Kelce come together and join Meg in grabbing a Pepsi before the battlefield turns into their more familiar territory: an NFL stadium.

A new version of “We Will Rock You” by Meg soundtracks the campaign and is now available on streaming services. It will also play throughout the 2024 VMAs, which Meg, of course, will be hosting.

“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 Meg, referring to Pepsi’s Roman Empire ad featuring Britney Spears, Beyoncé and Pink. “Pepsi really brought the worlds of music, sports and entertainment together in a powerful way to set off the new NFL season. It was fun putting my creative flip on such an iconic Queen song and I can’t wait for the Hotties to hear it!”

The NFL season kicks off Thursday while Gladiator II comes out in theaters on Nov. 22.

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