When any legacy sequel releases, there are always going to be comparisons to the original, andGladiator 2was no exception to that. The first comparisons came in the form ofRotten Tomatoesscores, whereGladiator 2’s 71% from critics and 82% from audiences fell short of theoriginal’s 80% from critics and 87% from audiences. Once it had been mostly agreed that there is no performance inGladiator 2with as much force asRussell Crowe’s Oscar-winning performance inGladiator, the final comparisons were left for the box office.Ridley Scott’s has performed admirably at the box office despite a whopping $250 million budget, and after nearly two full months in theaters,Gladiator 2has officially passed the originalGladiatorat the global box office, with its $454 million total surpassing the original’s $451 million.
Gladiator 2’s global box office split is skewed much more towards its international earnings, where the film has put together $282 million in foreign markets. Still, thePaul Mescal-led sword & sandal epic also earned $171 million domestically, which is enough to make it one of the top 15 highest-grossing movies of 2024 in the U.S., recently passingKingdom of the Planet of the Apesbut still more than $20 million short ofMufasa: The Lion King.Gladiator 2is also one of the top 25 highest-earning historical fiction movies ever at the domestic box office, sitting in the #21 spot at the time of writing just $1 million behindPirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.Denzel Washington’sGladiator 2is even the 14th-highest-grossing movie of 2024 at the worldwide box office.
Will There Be Another ‘Gladiator’ Movie?
Ridley Scott has confirmed thathe’s working on anotherGladiatormovie, but the sequel’s failure to become a major profit at the box office has likely caused Paramount executives to pump the brakes on potentially moving the film closer to the production stage.Gladiator 2cost roughly $250 million to make, and a film generally needs to earn double that to break even, and even more to become a profit, andGladiator 2has yet to double its production budget. Even with a global box office total north of $450 million, the film is still likely going to be a net loss forParamount, which may affect if we get anotherGladiatormovie.
Gladiator 2is still playing in most theaters worldwide. Stay tuned to Collider for futurebox office updates on the film, and you can also rent or purchaseGladiator 2at home onPrime Video.
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.
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