With Gladiator II currently streaming on many digital platforms, it’s clear the film’s theatrical run is nearing its end. The blockbuster sequel to the 2000 original has made $172 million domestically and $288 million internationally, for a total global box office gross of $460 million. This total puts Gladiator II close to the gross of the original Gladiator, which, with its original 2000 release and subsequent re-releases, made a total of $465 million.
This result also makes Gladiator II the third highest-grossing film of director Ridley Scott’s career, right behind the original Gladiator and 2015’s The Martian, which grossed $631 million worldwide. When viewed alongside Scott’s other films, this total is impressive, particularly considering its R-rating and fierce competition, coming out the same weekend as Wicked and only a week before Disney’s Moana 2.
Despite this strong performance, Gladiator II’s global box office still pales compared to those two films, with Wicked currently standing at $700 million and Moana 2 already surpassing $1 billion worldwide. To measure the film’s success, it’s important to take its budget of $250 million—plus additional marketing and distribution costs—into account. Collider reported, “a film of this size needs to gross twice its production cost to break even,” which suggests Gladiator II may be viewed as a minor box office disappointment.
On the home entertainment front, Gladiator II topped all U.K. retail sales for the second week running, retaining its position at the top of the Official Film Chart through January 29, 2025. The Ridley Scott-directed historical epic, featuring Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal, recently received an Oscar nomination for Best Costume Design and is up for three BAFTA awards this year, including Best Film.
Another Oscar contender, Universal’s Wicked, maintained the No. 2 spot on the chart, having generated ten Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and nods for Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, respectively. Other nominees making the top ten this week included Focus Features’ Conclave, which secured the No. 5 position with nominations for Best Picture and Best Actor for Ralph Fiennes, as well as 20th Century Studios’ Alien: Romulus at No. 7, nominated for Best Visual Effects, and Warner Bros’ Dune: Part Two at No. 8, also nominated for Best Picture.
Notably, Paramount’s horror sequel Smile 2 re-entered the chart at No. 6, even though its lead actress, Naomi Scott, was not nominated for any awards. Further down the list, the historical drama Small Things Like These, starring Oscar winner Cillian Murphy and based on the Irish Magdalene Laundries, ranked No. 10.
Overall, Gladiator II is carving out its niche both at the box office and on home entertainment platforms—while facing challenges typical of major digital releases today. With awards recognition potentially boosting its profile, the film’s performance will be closely monitored by industry insiders.