The Rome part might seem stale, but you should know that he's repeatedly spoken about how the works of Graeber and Wengrow are his biggest influences. It's not

The Rome part might seem stale, but you should know that he's repeatedly spoken about how the works of Graeber and Wengrow are his biggest influences. It's not a simple Neo Rome story or just Ayn Rand. It's certainly an unexpected and interesting inspiration and an optimistic one. This is without commenting on how well it translated to screen (I saw it on IMAX for a NYFF partner screening with Q&A)