Netflix is giving viewers a chance to revisit one of the most acclaimed historical epics of the last 25 years, and plenty of people are taking advantage of it.
Ridley Scott’s Gladiator is currently one of the Top 10 movies on Netflix in the United States, sitting at No. 9 as of Oct. 25, according to FlixPatrol. That’s particularly notable because the 2000 original arrived on the streaming service alongside its 2024 sequel, Gladiator II, which recently spent time at No. 1.
The sequel has since slipped to No. 2, while the original is still holding onto a spot in the Top 10 more than 26 years after its theatrical release.
‘Gladiator’ Is Still a Critically Acclaimed Epic
There’s a reason Gladiator has remained so popular long after its release.
The Russell Crowe-led epic currently has an 80% Tomatometer score from 265 critics and an impressive 87% Popcornmeter score from more than 250,000 audience ratings on Rotten Tomatoes.
The movie stars Crowe as Maximus, a Roman general who is betrayed by Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), the jealous son of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. After being forced into slavery, Maximus becomes a gladiator and sets out for revenge against the man who destroyed his life.
Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Derek Jacobi, Richard Harris, and Djimon Hounsou round out the cast.
The movie was a massive production for its time, recreating the world of ancient Rome on an enormous scale while combining political intrigue with some of the most memorable arena battles in modern historical cinema.
At the 2001 Academy Awards, Gladiator arrived with 12 nominations and walked away with five wins. That included the night’s biggest prize: Best Picture.
Crowe also won Best Actor for his performance as Maximus, while the movie picked up Oscars for costume design, sound, and visual effects.
‘Gladiator II’ Is Bringing Attention Back to the Original
Netflix added both Gladiator and Gladiator II to its U.S. library on Oct. 21, giving subscribers the opportunity to watch Ridley Scott’s two-part saga back-to-back. Netflix itself describes the original as the story of Roman general Maximus, while the sequel follows Lucius, the character played by Paul Mescal.
Gladiator II immediately attracted attention, climbing to No. 1 on Netflix’s U.S. movie chart shortly after its arrival. According to recent chart tracking, it held the top spot on Oct. 23 and Oct. 24 before its subsequent drop.
The sequel has a considerably more modest Rotten Tomatoes reception than its predecessor, currently sitting at 70% with critics and 80% with audiences.
