# Ridley Scott’s $462M Historical Epic Officially Becomes a Streaming Hit

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/ridley-scotts-462m-historical-epic-officially-becomes-a-streaming-hit/
- Published: 2026-10-26T13:30:15+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-07T08:48:59+00:00
- Original publisher: Collider
- Original article: https://collider.com/ridley-scott-historical-epic-gladiator-2-streaming-success-netflix-october-2026/
- Topics: Entertainment, Film, TV

## Key points

- Gladiator II is top of Netflix’s US film chart.
- The sequel made $462.2 million at cinemas.
- Audience ratings were higher than critics’ ratings.

## Summary

Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II has become the most-watched film on Netflix’s US charts, despite its mixed reception and disappointing theatrical performance. Its streaming success suggests the sequel has found a larger audience at home than it did in cinemas.

Starring Paul Mescal as Lucius, the film follows Maximus’s grown son as he is enslaved and fights his way into Rome’s Colosseum to challenge its rulers. It earned $462.2 million worldwide against a reported $310 million budget; critics rated it 70% on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences gave it 80%. On Netflix’s US chart, it moved ahead of Ben Affleck’s Animals.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.