Director Ridley Scott's Gladiator II is holding its ground amid a highly competitive holiday season. The swords-and-sandals epic debuted alongside Wicked in the year's biggest box office face-off, and has since maintained a spot in the top five on the domestic charts. Gladiator II's consistent performance has helped push Scott's career box office total past an important new milestone. It's already among the legendary filmmaker's highest-grossing films, and has a realistic chance of becoming his second-biggest hit if it's able to hold on for a couple of more weeks.
With $137 million domestically and another $235 million from overseas markets, Gladiator II has now generated $372 million worldwide. The film's domestic haul has pushed Scott's career box office total past the $1.9 billion mark. Globally, Scott's films have generated nearly $5 billion. He currently ranks ninth on the list of highest-grossing directors in history, ahead of Tim Burton and behind Christopher Nolan. Scott's biggest hit remains The Martian, which generated over $650 million in 2015, and earned a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars.
With $372 million worldwide, Gladiator II has out-performed the likes of Robin Hood ($322 million) and Hannibal ($350 million) to become Scott's fourth-biggest hit, behind Prometheus, Gladiator, and The Martian. The film is less than $100 million shy of overtaking its predecessor, which concluded its global run with around $460 million and won the Best Picture Academy Award. Starring Paul Mescal in the central role, Gladiator II is widely considered to be inferior to its predecessor, although the film has attracted positive reactions for its epic battle sequences, and for Denzel Washington's supporting performance.
Could Denzel Washington Score an Oscar Nod for His Performance?
Washington recently scored a nomination at the Golden Globes, and could also earn a nod at the upcoming Oscars, provided that the Academy is willing to get a little playful. Produced on a reported budget of over $200 million, the movie appears to have settled at a "fresh" 71% approval rating on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. The film also features Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger and others. You can watch Gladiator II in theaters, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
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.
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