Ridley Scott’s Most Expensive Movie Ever, ‘Gladiator II,’ Is a Streaming Success on Netflix

Ridley Scott has made some gigantic movies in his career, but one of his most recent releases was also his most expensive. The acclaimed British director, who got his start with the 1965 TV series Z Cars, continues to push the boundaries of filmmaking. Alien revolutionized sci-fi with a healthy dose of horror; Blade Runner then revolutionized the genre once more; Gladiator gave the world one of the most iconic movie heroes of all time, and The Martian is considered to be one of the most scientifically accurate sci-fi movies of all time. Even 2023’s Napoleon, despite poor reviews, was grand in scale and scope. But it’s Ridley Scott’s epic 2024 action sequel that Netflix users cannot get enough of.

Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II was recently added to Netflix’s streaming library, and subscribers are obsessed with the historical action epic. At the time of publication, the film is eighth on the streamer’s global weekly chart, and is expected to continue rising in the coming days. If the title didn’t make it obvious, the film is a sequel to Scott’s 2000 epic, Gladiator, which starred Russell Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius. Gladiator II keeps the Roman setting and the epic Colosseum battles, but gives its leading character (played by Normal People‘s Paul Mescal) a much shorter name: Lucius.

Ridley Scott Finally Explains Those Unhinged Baboons in ‘Gladiator II’

The acclaimed director had a good reason for making the monkeys look as terrifying as they did.

After witnessing the death of Maximus, Lucius fled Rome and grew up in Africa. But when the Roman army continued its expansion efforts into the continent, Lucius was taken as a slave and forced to fight in the Colosseum, choosing to keep his elite Roman heritage a secret. Russell Crowe will forever be associated with Maximus, but Paul Mescal gave an equally brilliant performance as Lucius, a warrior who is overwhelmed by rage and a burning desire for vengeance. While Mescal was great, it’s Denzel Washington, playing the most American Roman politician in cinematic history, who steals the film with his swagger-filled performance as Macrinus. Gladiator II also features great performances from Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, and Derek Jacobi.

How Much Did ‘Gladiator II’ Cost?

Lucius rubs sand in his hands in Gladiator II — Paramount Pictures

As well as making breathtaking movies, Ridley Scott also has a habit of pushing the boundaries of what’s considered to be a reasonable budget. Many of his movies rocketed past the $100 million budget mark, with some surpassing $200 million. Before Gladiator II kicked down the financial doors, 2010’s Robin Hood was Scott’s most expensive movie. It was commonly reported to have cost $200 million, but some reports suggest that it was more like $230 million.

However, Gladiator II, which literally rebuilt Rome in impressive wooden sets, cost an estimated $250 million. Again, the reports on the film’s official budget vary. Some reports suggest that Scott even surpassed that initial budget, and that the film cost around $310 million. However, that has not officially been confirmed. Thankfully, the film more than made up for it at the box office. Gladiator II earned a total of $462 million.