The historical epic has been a staple of film since cinema’s inception, and Peacock subscribers can now stream one of the best. The NBCUniversal streamer has been growing its library throughout December with the arrival of critically acclaimed and fan-favorite movies like Die Hard, The Martian, and The Fabelmans, and one of the best historical epics not just of the 21st century but of all time just started streaming.
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Ridley Scott’s $466 million grossing epic historical drama Gladiator joined Peacock on December 1st. The movie, released in 2000, stars Russell Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius, a former Roman general who is betrayed by the new, corrupt Emperor Commodus, portrayed by Joaquin Phoenix. Stripped of his rank and forced to fight as a gladiator, he rises through the ranks to seek revenge and restore honor to Rome. It was followed in 2024 by Gladiator II, which unfortunately didn’t join Peacock this month.
Gladiator Is a Cinematic Masterpiece
In a sense, Gladiator was Scott’s magnum opus, and it’s a feat of epic scale that revitalized the historical epic genre. The movie is a cinematic spectacle that brought ancient Rome and all of its grandeur to life with extensive sets, including a life-sized Colosseum, and intense and gritty action sequences that immerse the viewer in the brutality of the era. But beyond the action is a powerful story of tragedy, honor, and vengeance led by an Oscar-award-winning performance from Crowe and Phoenix’s career-defining performance as Emperor Commodus. The entire film is a masterclass in epic filmmaking that is both thrilling and profound, cementing its place as a timeless classic that has aged exceptionally well.
Gladiator set an extremely high bar for its long-awaited sequel, Gladiator II, which finally arrived nearly 24 years later. Unfortunately, the long wait didn’t result in the kind of payoff fans had been hoping for.
Gladiator II isn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination, but the movie was a box office disappointment with a gross haul of $462 million against its massive $250 million budget. It also debuted to slightly lower Rotten Tomatoes critics and audience scores of 70% and 81% compared to the original’s 80% and 87%. Rather than feeling like a true sequel intended to follow Lucius, the exiled Prince of Rome, as he is forced to enter the Colosseum, critics said the movie felt more like a rehashed remake that not only failed to capture the emotional depth that made the original so great but also had weaker characters and lower stakes. The film did still manage to deliver bigger, bolder action and solid performances from a cast that includes Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Denzel Washington and is an entertaining blockbuster worth a watch.
What’s New on Peacock?
Peacock subscribers looking for their next movie to stream have no shortage of great options to choose from. Gladiator started streaming on Peacock on December 1st alongside a long list of other arrivals that included 10 Cloverfield Lane, 2012, The Addams Family, Pacific Rim, and the Rocky franchise.
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