If you are not entertained, you can watch Gladiator II at home on Paramount+, Prime Video, and MGM+. The movie hit number one on FlixPatrol’s list of the most-watched movies on Paramount+ this week, and it’s doing well on every platform where it’s available. The long-awaited sequel hit theaters at the end of November last year, and it was available to stream by the end of January, meaning fans didn’t have much time to get out to the theater. If you missed it in IMAX or you’re ready to revisit it, now seems to be a great time to take a seat at the Colosseum.
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Gladiator II was directed by Ridley Scott, and was a sequel to his 2000 historical epic Gladiator, so expectations were high. The movie did reasonably well at the box office, and was generally well-received by critics as well, but for some, these streaming spikes are a better metric of popularity and mass appeal.
Gladiator II picks up 16 years after the events of the original, with Rome in the hands of twin emperors more tyrannical than any seen before. It stars Paul Mescal as Lucius Verus Aurelius, the son of the first movie’s protagonist Maximus (Gerard Butler). However, he is living quietly and anonymously in an Roman colony in Africa when the movie begins. During an attack on the colony, Lucius is enslaved and dragged back to Rome to fight in the Colosseum just like his father.
Because of the time-jump — and the blood events of the original — this movie shares very few characters or cast members with Gladiator. Connie Nielsen reprises her role as Lucilla, but beyond that, the movie is supported by lauded performances by newcomers, including Pedro Pascal as General Acacius, Denzel Washington as Macrinus, Joseph Quinn as Emperor Geta, and Fred Hechinger as Emperor Caracalla. Critics praised these stars for holding their attention, along with the outrageous new special effects and action sequences. Scott took this opportunity to depict a simulated sea battle within the Colosseum, along with beasts that could now be rendered in CGI.
Whether it matches the hype of the original or not, Gladiator II definitely provides a spectacle worth streaming. You can find the movie now on Paramount+, as well as Prime Video and MGM+. It is also available to rent or purchase digitally on most major PVOD stores, and it is also available on Ultra HD Blu-ray.
