How To Watch “Gladiator” From Anywhere: The Historical Epic Continues

It’s been over 20 years, but Maximus Decimus Meridius’s journey from powerful Roman commander to common gladiator still haunts us. As one of the highest-grossing movies of 2000, Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator” captured the hearts and eyes of critics and viewers alike. “Gladiator II” premiered in November 2024 to our movie-loving delight, and we were ready for it.

The epic Roman story picks up where “Gladiator” left off, with a new gladiator entering the arena. The new gladiator? The fierce and mysterious Hano, who is revealed to be Lucius. Twist, Lucius is actually the unexpected son left behind by Russell Crowe’s character, Maximus, in the first film. Although the sequel doesn't feature Russell Crowe, it does feature other familiar faces, such as Connie Nielsen (Lucilla) and Tim McInnerny (Senator Thraex). Plus, we were happy to see A-lister additions like Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal.

If you’re gearing up for the “Gladiator II” sequel like we are, you may be wondering how to watch “Gladiator.” We’ve got you covered.

How to watch “Gladiator” in the U.S.

It’s been two decades, but those battle scenes in the Colosseum still stand the test of time. Sadly, the sequel doesn’t feature our beloved Maximus Decimus Meridius, played by Russell Crowe. Instead, we get his son Lucius, played by Paul Mescal, battling in the gladiator arena. We also get Denzel Washington, who plays ruthless arms dealer Macrinus and keeps a stable of gladiators for sport. Excuse us while we go grab our popcorn now.

In the United States, your best bet for catching gladiator duels is through a streaming platform like Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, or Apple TV. If you recently purchased an Apple product, Apple TV+ is usually included for three months for free. Apple also offers a free one-month trial for bundled services.

Similarly, if you already pay for an Amazon Prime account, Prime Video is included in your membership. Fandango at Home and Google Play are other options. There are no monthly subscriptions — you just pay to rent or buy shows and movies.

Streaming Platform	Price	Free Trial
Paramount +, Paramount + with Showtime	$4.99-$12.99/mo	Yes, one week
Google Play	$3.99 to rent, $16.99 to buy	No
Fandango at Home	$3.99 to rent, $6.99 to buy	No
Amazon Prime Video	$8.99-$14.99/mo	Yes, 30 days
Apple TV	$9.99/mo	Yes, one week

How to watch “Gladiator” in the U.K.

For “Gladiator” fans across the pond, Amazon Prime U.K. and Apple TV U.K. both offer the ability to stream the historical epic. Both offer annual and monthly plans, and monthly plans can be terminated at any time.

Apple TV U.K.’s pricing structure is similar to that in the United States — payment depends on which offer you choose. If you’ve recently purchased an Apple device, Apple TV+ is included for free for three months. If you have Apple One, Apple’s bundling service, plans start at around $25.00/mo. If neither of those options fits, you can find standalone pricing information below.

Streaming Platform	Price	Free Trial
Amazon Prime U.K.	$12.00/mo	Yes, 30 days
Apple+ TV U.K.	$12.00/mo	Yes, 7 days

How to watch “Gladiator” in Canada

When it comes to classic cinematic villains, we love to loathe Joaquin Phoenix’s character, Commodus. Canada is one of the few countries where Netflix subscribers can catch up on epic Roman battles since “Gladiator” is available on Netflix in Canada. While Netflix doesn’t offer a free trial, users can change or cancel at any time. There are no contracts, cancellation fees, or commitments.

Streaming Platform	Price	Free Trial
Netflix	$4.36 – $15.27/mo	No
Paramount+	$4.99-$12.99/mo	Yes

How to watch “Gladiator” from anywhere

Streaming platforms make it possible to watch your favorite shows and movies from most places in the world. However, due to licensing agreements or geo-blocked content, there may be times when your favorite flicks just aren’t available unless you have a VPN.

What is a VPN? In short, a VPN, or virtual private network, is a tool that helps you create a private, secure internet connection. VPNs also allow you to bypass geographic restrictions and access streaming content that may be blocked by your location.

When looking for a VPN specifically for streaming, you should choose one with an extensive server network. A large number of servers across various worldwide locations is key to accessing streamed content. Our guide to the best VPNs to watch Paramount+ can help you decide which VPN is best for streaming “Gladiator.”

Our recommendation? We like NordVPN for its extensive server network and robust security features, including antivirus protection and ad and web traffic blocking. It also successfully unblocks Paramount+, meaning you can catch up on your Roman history before streaming “Gladiator II."

The scoop on “Gladiator II”

“Gladiator II” was released in November 2024, but we didn't stream the sequel until the following year through the Paramount+ add-on to Prime Video. 

Spoilers: Joaquin Phoenix is not in the sequel. He crushed his role as Commodus, the twisted, power-hungry son of Emperor Marcus Aurelius. And to be totally honest, his replacements, co-emperors Caracalla (played by Fred Hechinger) and Geta (played by Joseph Quinn), were a let-down. The unstable twin emperors were flat and lacked the emotional appeal of Phoenix's portrayal of the cruel Commodus. 

And we admit it’s hard to imagine a second “Gladiator” without the iconic Maximus. But “Gladiator II” is packed with a star-studded cast, and given the box-office success of the first movie, we had a hard time believing that fans wouldn't clamor to catch “Gladiator II” as soon as it was available in theaters or to stream.

We appreciated the new character additions, like Denzel Washington as Macrinus, a ruthless arms dealer who wields as much power and sway as the emperors. Pedro Pascal offers a solid performance as Marcus Acacius, a Roman general who trained under Maximus and is romantically intertwined with Lucilla. And we can't forget Paul Mescal as Lucius. The bold Hano was as gritty and charming as Russell Crowe in the original, though the backstory didn't have the same emotional pull as Maximus's loss of his wife and son. 

Although we don't think “Gladiator II” lives up to the hype of Ridley Scott’s 2000 masterpiece, it was still an enjoyable watch. Streaming "Gladiator II" didn't feel like time lost, but it's hard to recommend it to die-hard "Gladiator" fans. 

FAQs

Bottom line

“Gladiator” was one of the top-performing movies of 2000, earning the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2001. There’s a reason people are still clamoring to watch it two decades later.

Fortunately, there are multiple options for satiating your “Gladiator” itch if you have Paramount+ or the ability to add-on the channel to your current streaming subscription. Amazon Prime Video and Paramount+ offer streaming, while Fandango at Home and Google Play let you rent or purchase the movie.

For “Gladiator” fans looking to bypass geographical restrictions, consider using a good VPN for streaming like NordVPN. Regardless of how you choose to brush up on your Roman Empire history, the countdown is on until the battles in the Colosseum resume.