HBO’s Epic ‘Gladiator’ Replacement Officially Finds New Life on Streaming
HBO historical drama Rome has returned to the spotlight, more than two decades after its first season, with a recent surge in iTunes viewership. The revival highlights the series’ lasting appeal and its place in HBO’s shift towards long-running franchises.
Created by John Milius, Rome starred Ray Stevenson and Kevin McKidd as soldiers in Ancient Rome, alongside Tobias Menzies, Kerry Condon, Indira Varma and Ciarán Hinds. It ran for two seasons from 2005 to 2007, reportedly cost more than $100 million to produce, and was cancelled on budgetary grounds despite plans for three further seasons.
- Rome has seen a recent iTunes viewing surge.
- The HBO drama ran for two seasons from 2005 to 2007.
- Its reported production budget exceeded $100 million.