Nearly two months into its theatrical run, directorRidley Scott’sGladiator IIis just about ready to wrap things up. The swords-and-sandals epic has been available to watch at home for a few weeks now, but it’s still attracting audiences to theaters. In its eighth weekend of release,Gladiator IIpassed a new global box office milestone, while decreasing the distance between itself and its predecessor,Gladiator. Released in the year 2000 to considerable acclaim, the originalGladiatorconcluded its run with around $460 million worldwide.
Gladiator II, on the other hand,has now hit the $455 million milestone. It’s playing in only around 1,300 domestic theaters, and will no doubt continue to decrease its footprint in the coming days. What remains to be seen is if it has enough gas in the tank to generate around $5 million more globally. It probably does, but it’ll come down to the wire. The movie can, however, celebrate a new achievement. As of today, it has overtaken fellow legacy sequelBeetlejuice Beetlejuice’s $451 million global haul to becomethe 11th-biggest Hollywood hit of 2024, behindVenom: The Last Dance($475 million).
Produced ona reported budget of over $200 million,Gladiator IIopened tomostly positive reviews. It appears to have settled at a “fresh” 71% approval rating on the aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, as compared to the first film’s 80% score. That being said, the originalGladiatorwasn’t merely a commercial hit. It went on to earn the Academy Award for Best Picture, in addition to winning starRussell Crowea Best Actor honor. Crowe didn’t return for the sequel, which was led byPaul Mescal. He received mixed reviews for his performance, with the majority of praise going towardsDenzel Washington.
Ridley Scott Wants to Direct a ‘Gladiator III’
Gladiator IIis currently Scott’s third-biggest hit, behind the originalGladiator, andThe Martian, which made around $650 million worldwide a decade ago. The movie’s global box office performance helped cement Scott as among the 10 highest-grossing filmmakers of all time, with a cumulative global haul of over $5 billion. Also starringPedro Pascal,Connie Nielsen,Joseph Quinn,Fred Hechingerand others,Gladiator IIis available to watch in theaters and at home. Scott has made his intention to make a third film known. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Gladiator II
Lucius Verus, the son of Maximus’s beloved Lucilla, returns to Rome after years in the wilderness. Captured by Roman forces led by General Marcus Acacius, he is thrust into the gladiatorial arena. As he battles for survival, he encounters Macrinus, a former slave-turned-merchant, and faces the corrupt twin emperors Caracalla and Geta.
