Gladiator 2 Limps on to Yet Another Box Office Milestone
- Ridley Scott's Gladiator II reaches another milestone in it's run.
- The success of Gladiator II makes Ridley Scott join the list of filmmakers whose movies have grossed more than $5 billion globally.
- Scott recalled how Blade Runner found it's space after a decade of its release.
Filmmaker Ridley Scott’s historical epic film Gladiator 2, a sequel to 2000’s Gladiator, was released on November 22, 2024, and received a positive response. The film was also named one of the top movies of 2024, with critics praising Scott’s direction, the performances of the actors, and more.
Critics did not hold back from pointing out that, compared to the original movie, which starred Russell Crowe as the lead, the sequel lacked emotional punch. Despite critics pointing out the issue with the movie, Gladiator 2 has yet again surpassed another milestone.
Gladiator 2 crosses $450 million mark at the global box office
Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2, starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, and more, is released in November 2024. It was one of the most highly awaited movies of 2024, and it served well for the critics and the audience. According to reports, the movie has had a good run at the cinemas, and while it prepares to leave theatres, it has managed to cross yet another milestone in its success journey.
Box Office Mojo records that Scott’s Gladiator 2 has finally crossed $450 million [$455.4 million] at the box office on a budget of $250 million. But the sequel is near about $10 million behind the original movie’s global box office collection, which has been recorded as $465.2 million. Gladiator 2, despite reaching a milestone, cannot be called a hit, as reports suggest that it would have technically needed $625 million to achieve the break-even point.
According to CBR, Gladiator 2 performed really well at the box office, considering that it has a tough competition going head-to-head with Wicked and Moana 2. Both movies have also performed exceptionally well at the box office. Gladiator 2 has also reserved a spot on the list of the top 25 highest-grossing historical fictional movies, surpassing Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.
The Gladiator franchise has grossed over $915 million globally, with Scott already working on ideas for the third installment. The sequel is now available for the audience to watch in the comfort of their home via video on demand.
Gladiator 2 helps Ridley Scott join an elite group of filmmakers to cross the $5 billion box office milestone
Filmmaker Ridley Scott is one of the most respected and admired filmmakers in the industry. Scott is regarded for his science fiction, crime, and historical drama movies and is known to be one of the highest-grossing directors.
Now, with the success of Gladiator II, Scott has joined an elite group of filmmakers whose movies have managed to gross near or more than $5 billion at the box office. (via The Numbers) He joins filmmakers including Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Christopher Nolan, the Russo Brothers, Peter Jackson, Michael Bay, and David Yates. The filmmakers have crossed the $5 billion mark with their successful movie and Scott sits at the ninth spot on the list.
Ridley Scott directed 1979’s Alien, and the success of the movie gave him the push he needed. Movies including The Martian, 1982’s Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise, Gladiator, Hannibal, Prometheus, and more have added to his box office milestone.
The filmmaker in a recent roundtable discussion with THR shared how his movie Blade Runner found its recognition a decade after its release. Scott recalled that his 1982 movie was a commercial disappointment at the time of its release. He added that the movie had received a bad review by The New Yorker’s Pauline Kael, which he considered as ‘industrial espionage.’ But then there was a silver lining as he explained,
It [Blade Runner] was discovered at the Santa Monica Film Festival about 10 years later. There had been one or two diehards who quite liked it when it came out. So they called up Warner Bros. for a print, and they had lost the negative. And so they went to a drawer and pulled out the drawer, didn’t look at it, and sent it to the festival.
Ridley Scott mentioned that the film that was sent to the festival did not have a voiceover, had a bit of Vangelis, a bit of Jerry Goldsmith on it, and it ran, and that reignited the whole thing. He called this the ‘craziness of Hollywood.’ Today, Blade Runner is regarded as one of the most significant and influential science fiction films ever.
Gladiator II is still playing in theatres, while Blade Runner can be streamed on Apple TV+.
