Ridley Scott’s long-awaited swords and sandals action epic is now available to stream onNetflixin a variety of territories and has quickly started climbing the streaming charts. After a few pretty rocky releases in the Joaquin Phoenix-ledNapoleonand the crime dramaHouse of Gucci, Scott is back on top and entertaining audiences all over the globe, thanks to his successful return to the Colosseum.
It took more than two decades, butGladiator IIfinally saw director Ridley Scott return to continue the historical epic after all these years, withAftersunand Oscar nomineePaul Mescalstarring as Lucius Verus, a character from the original and played in the first movie by Spencer Treat Clark.
The firstGladiatorquickly became known for its brutal and bloody depiction of the Roman Empire and the violent goings-on inside the Colosseum, withGladiator 2expertly continuing this legacy. After years and years of rumors, speculation, and updates from both Ridley Scott, Russell Crowe (who at one stage wasrumored to return with Chris Hemsworthin tow), and more,Gladiator 2finally hit theaters in October last year. Grossing $462.2 million worldwide and earning several nominations at the 97th Academy Awards, audiences are clearly still enamored with theGladiatorsequel, which has now entered Netflix’s global Top 10.
How Did Critics & Audiences React to the ‘Gladiator’ Sequel After All These Years?
Sequels coming after decades are rarely as good as their predecessor, and whileGladiator IIdidn’t quite reach the heights of the first outing, it came close.Gladiator IInow holds a score of 70% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, alongside 81% from audiences on the Popcornmeter (Gladiatorholds respective scores of 80% and 87%), with the former praising Denzel Washington and “the bloodsport and camp,” while the latter delighted the “razzle-dazzle over historical precision.”
Thankfully, according to Scott himself, it doesn’t sound like we’ll be waiting anywhere near as long forGladiator 3, with the renowned filmmaker revealing last year, “I’ve already got eight pages. I’ve got the beginning of a very good footprint. If there’s aGladiator III, I don’t think you’d ever go back into the arena. But I had to go back into the arena.”
Gladiator IIamassed a stellar ensemble cast alongside Mescal, including Pedro Pascal (The Last of Us) as Roman general Marcus Acacius, Joseph Quinn (Stranger Things, The Fantastic Four: First Steps) as Caracalla, Fred Hechinger (Kraven the Hunter) as Geta, as well as Connie Nielsen, Derek Jacobi, who both reprise their roles from the first movie, and Hollywood icon Denzel Washington. You can check out the official synopsis for the action epic below.
“Years after witnessing the death of Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius must enter the Colosseum after the powerful emperors of Rome conquer his home. With rage in his heart and the future of the empire at stake, he looks to the past to find the strength and honor needed to return the glory of Rome to its people.”
Gladiator II
