Ridley Scott’s New Epic Lights Netflix On Fire With 299M Premiere

Image credit: Aidan Monaghan/©Paramount Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection Published Nov 5, 2026, 4:24 PM EST Adam Bentz is a senior news writer at ScreenRant, where he has authored nearly 5,000 articles, including features and lists. He studied creative writing and English with a concentration in screenwriting at Southern New Hampshire University and interned as a writer/journalist for The Borgen Project, an influential organization that fights global poverty. However, one of his proudest achievements is editing a Leonardo DiCaprio freakout compilation that has over 150K views on YouTube. Adam also fancies himself an amateur film critic on his personal website. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Though Ridley Scott gained recognition directing some of the greatest sci-fi films of all time in Alien (1979) and Blade Runner (1982), he is also adept at historical epics that range widely in setting and period, spanning 12th-century Jerusalem in Kingdom of Heaven (2005), medieval England in Robin Hood (2010), ancient Memphis in Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014), and contemporary Mogadishu in Black Hawk Down (2001). Now, Ridley Scott's latest epic, Gladiator II, is setting Netflix ablaze. A sequel to his 2000 film, the 2024 historical epic follows Lucius Verus Aurelius (Paul Mescal), the son of Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe), who is also sold into slavery and becomes a gladiator in the Colosseum after the murder of his wife. Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen, Denzel Washington, Fred Hechinger, and Joseph Quinn also star. Scott's Gladiator II Starts Its Netflix Era With A Bang According to Nielsen, Gladiator II brought in 299 million minutes watched on Netflix between October 19–25. Ridley Scott's epic achieved those numbers in just five days, having been added to Netflix in the United States on October 21. The sequel is also streaming on Paramount+, with the original movie also on both platforms, in addition to streaming for free on Pluto TV. What's The Latest On The Historical Epic's Future? Gladiator 3 has not been officially confirmed, though Ridley Scott has expressed strong interest and stated that he has an idea for the script, comparing his early concept for a third film to The Godfather Part II, focusing on Lucius navigating the heavy and unwanted responsibility of power after the events of Gladiator II. However, Paul Mescal has provided discouraging updates regarding his immediate return, noting that he is looking forward to smaller-scale dramatic projects and a break from massive blockbuster productions before pursuing other films like the upcoming Beatles biopics. Meanwhile, after The Dog Stars (2026), Scott already has the Treasure Island movie lined up as his next project, which is scheduled to be released on November 11, 2027. If Gladiator 3 were to move forward, an arrival before late 2028 or beyond is the earliest realistic window, especially since Scott is able to shoot at a remarkably fast pace. Release Date November 22, 2024 Runtime 148 minutes Director Ridley Scott Writers David Scarpa, Peter Craig, David Franzoni Prequel(s) Gladiator