Ridley Scott’s Greatest Movie Franchise Ever Made Is Making a Comeback on Netflix

Ridley Scott’s *Gladiator* films are due to arrive on Netflix on 21 October 2026, bringing the 2000 historical drama and its 2024 sequel to the streaming service. The release gives viewers a chance to revisit the Oscar-winning original or watch the follow-up, whose reception was more mixed.

The first film stars Russell Crowe as Maximus, a Roman general betrayed by Emperor Commodus and forced into gladiatorial combat; it won Best Picture and several other Academy Awards. *Gladiator II*, starring Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal, grossed $460 million worldwide against a reported $300 million budget, and Crowe criticised its treatment of the original’s moral themes.