Ridley Scott’s legacy sequel Gladiator II has now spent almost seven weeks in theaters, with the highs of late November feeling far away from the realities of early January. Nevertheless, the movie still earned over $2.5 million domestically on its most recent seventh weekend, even outperforming a much newer release in Amazon MGM Studios’ The Fire Inside. Thanks to said $2.5 million and another couple of days of small earnings, Gladiator II has officially hit $449 million worldwide, with one last major milestone of $450 million ready to be hit by this coming weekend.
In total, Gladiator II’s box office haul is split between $169 million domestically and almost $280 million in overseas markets, with the film currently sitting as the fifteenth highest-grossing movie at the 2024 domestic box office. Starring the likes of Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, and Pedro Pascal, the swords-and-sandals sequel has proven divisive thus far, with critics and theatergoers alike unable to agree on their appreciation of the film. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, opinions seem just as mixed, although a 71% certified fresh critical score and an even better 82% audience rating suggest that the general opinion leans in favor of positive.
Denzel Washington Steals the Show in ‘Gladiator II’

For its many flaws, Gladiator II also has a lot to admire. From a theater-friendly epic scope to a score as rousing as the original’s, Gladiator II is well worth its weight in Roman sand. However, despite all these elements, there is one that stands above all else as the part of the film universally appreciated. That element is the performance of Washington as Macrinus, a real-life-inspired former slave who is hell-bent on taking power and enacting his revenge on Rome. Speaking in his review of the movie for Collider, Ross Bonaime was eager to praise Washington’s Golden Globe-nominated performance, saying:

“But as one might expect, all of these supporting performances are overshadowed by Denzel Washington, whose Macrinus is electric in every scene. Even though this is a supporting role, Washington commands our attention, making even the best actors in any given scene seem like amateurs by comparison. There’s a Shakespearian quality to Washington’s performance, and he’s delightfully devious in how he uses others to get what he wants. While everyone else in this film seems to be playing checkers, Washington’s Macrinus is playing political chess, and it’s wonderful to see Washington relish in a role that allows him to be this untrustworthy.”

Gladiator II is poised to hit the $450 million mark at the global box office. You can still catch the sequel in theaters now.

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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.

Release Date

November 22, 2024

Cast

Paul Mescal
, Pedro Pascal
, Denzel Washington
, Connie Nielsen
, Joseph Quinn
, Fred Hechinger
, Derek Jacobi
, Lior Raz
, Peter Mensah
, Matt Lucas
, Alexander Karim
, Tim McInnerny
, Lee Charles
, Chidi Ajufo
, Alfie Tempest
, Riana Duce
, Chi Lewis Parry

Runtime

148 minutes

Writers

David Scarpa
, Peter Craig
, David Franzoni

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