Ridley Scott’s anticipated action film debuts on Netflix and swiftly climbs to the top spot.

Ridley Scott is known for taking his time with sequels. The legendary director, whose original post-apocalyptic thriller is hitting streaming this month, took 33 years to revisit the Alien franchise with 2012’s Prometheus, followed by a quicker turnaround for 2017’s Alien: Covenant. Before diving back into sci-fi, he directed a sequel to another filmmaker’s work, releasing the follow-up to The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal, in 2001.

In 2024, Scott finally brought audiences Gladiator II, the long-awaited sequel to his historical action epic featuring Russell Crowe as the iconic Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius and Joaquin Phoenix as the villainous emperor Commodus.

After a successful run in theaters and a stint on Paramount Plus, Gladiator II has now made its way to Netflix, where it’s taking the streaming charts by storm in the U.S. The film was added to Netflix on October 21, and within just a few days, it climbed to the top, dethroning Ben Affleck’s divisive thriller from the No. 1 spot on the platform.

Over the past 26 years, the original Gladiator has only grown in esteem, celebrated for its gripping tale of revenge and standout performances from Crowe and Phoenix, alongside a talented cast that includes Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou, and Richard Harris. The film was a massive success, grossing over $460 million worldwide and earning four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe.

With such a high bar set, Gladiator II had a lot to live up to. While the sequel improves on certain aspects, it doesn’t quite reach the consistent heights of Scott’s original. As one critic pointed out, the sequel “is actually a far better action movie than Gladiator, with leaner fights and wider-angled staging. But as a showcase of classic Hollywood acting, it’s a bit scattered. Despite the star power of Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, and Connie Nielsen, Scott struggles to weave them into a cohesive narrative.”

Despite not hitting as hard as its predecessor, audiences still flocked to see Gladiator II, which ultimately grossed $462 million globally, making it the 12th-highest-grossing film of 2024.

The film’s official synopsis reveals that Gladiator II continues the saga of power, intrigue, and vengeance in Ancient Rome. Years after witnessing Maximus’s death, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is thrust into the Colosseum after his home is taken by the tyrannical Emperors ruling Rome. Fueled by rage and the fate of the Empire at stake, Lucius must draw on his past to reclaim Rome’s glory.

Gladiator II also features Pedro Pascal as General Acacius, Joseph Quinn as Emperor Geta, Fred Hechinger as Emperor Caracalla, and Denzel Washington as Macrinus, with Connie Nielsen reprising her role as Lucilla. Ridley Scott directed the film from a screenplay by David Scarpa, based on a story by Peter Craig and Scarpa.

As for a potential Gladiator 3, Scott hinted at its possibility in a Q&A, stating, “Gladiator is in process right now.” However, details on that project have been scarce.

Scott recently released The Dog Stars, described as “a post-apocalyptic odyssey like no other.” Based on Peter Heller’s 2012 novel, the film stars Jacob Elordi as Hig, one of the last survivors on Earth after a deadly virus. Living on an old airfield with a former marine named Bangley (Josh Brolin), Hig yearns for more than their isolated existence, driven by a mysterious radio message from a distant town.

Next up, Ridley Scott is set to adapt Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island.