Audiences eagerly returned to ancient Rome for the highly anticipated sequel to Ridley Scott’s 2000 masterpiece Gladiator with Gladiator II. The film stars Paul Mescal as Lucius, a man with claims to power in Rome who was sent to live far away from the city. He is dragged back into that polemic world when his village is destroyed by an invading Roman general, Marcus Acacius, played by Pedro Pascal. Intent on seeking both justice and revenge, Lucius enters the gladiatorial arena.
After watching both the original Gladiator and Gladiator II, you might not want to leave those epic historical worlds behind just yet. So, check out these 10 movies and TV series similar to Gladiator 2 and find out where you can stream them below!
Kingdom of Heaven
After the success of Gladiator in 2000, director Ridley Scott returned to make another epic historical film in 2005 with Kingdom of Heaven, starring Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Jeremy Irons, and Liam Neeson. It follows the story of a humble blacksmith, Barian (Bloom), who is enlisted to fight in the Crusades in the Holy Land and, after a perilous journey there, finds himself confronted with the brutal corruption and a struggle for power that sees him become one of the few defenders of the city of Jerusalem.
If you’re looking for a film with sweeping battles, epic historical drama, and political intrigue mixed with personal and moral struggles, look no further than Kingdom of Heaven. In addition, you can count on Ridley Scott’s signature epic style to take the emotional and historical stakes to the next level.
The Eagle
The Eagle is a 2011 epic historical drama directed by Kevin Macdonald, and stars Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell and Donald Sutherland. Tatum plays Marcus Flavius Aquila, the son of a senior centurion who disappeared along with his entire legion in Britain and goes there as a centurion intent on finding out what happened and restoring the lost legion’s eagle standard.
Like Gladiator II, The Eagle features epic battles mixed with personal stories of protagonists in the time of ancient Rome seeking to restore glory to their city or legion.
Those About to Die
This 2024 Amazon series explores the multifaceted layers of ancient Rome in 79 AD, when the city’s corrupt politicians struggle for power and delight in increasingly violent blood sport spectacles like chariot racing and gladiatorial games. The sports attract those looking for success, from horse breeders, gladiators and chariot racers to gamblers as they all converge on Rome trying to rise above the rest.
If you want a gritty look at the lives of many individuals trying to survive in ancient Rome at the time of the gladiators, Those About to Die provides a new perspective for fans of Gladiator II.
Barbarians
Barbarians is a German Netflix series from 2020 that lasted two seasons. It takes place during the Roman Empire when Roman forces occupied much of what was then called Germania. The story includes recounts of the rebellions led by the so-called ‘barbarian’ tribes as they resisted Roman rule.
Historians and archaeologists have praised Barbarians for its accurate depiction of life at the time, from the structure of the villages and plans for battle to its costume design. The series also gives more insight into the effect of the Roman Empire on the rest of Europe, which is sure to interest the more history-minded fans of Gladiator II.
Rome
This sprawling two season HBO series ran from 2005 to 2007 and depicts the Roman Empire like never before. The series primarily focused on the lives of the rich and powerful, along with two centurions, as they navigate the complex political environment leading up to Julius Caesar’s rise to power and subsequent assassination, before leaning into the power struggle between Octavian and Mark Anthony.
While Rome is very much a product of early 2000s HBO, the series’ dramatic depiction of so many important events in the history of Rome makes it prime viewing for Gladiator II fans looking for something to watch that takes place in ancient Rome itself.
Braveheart
Although Braveheart takes place far from the setting of ancient Rome, it shares a lot thematically with Gladiator II. Both films feature strong protagonists intent on protecting or avenging their loved ones against far more powerful forces. Braveheart stars Mel Gibson as William Wallace, the leader of the Scottish rebellion against the English, destabilising the tyrannical rule of King Edward I.
I, Claudius
This iconic BBC miniseries from 1976 remains one of the best fictional accounts of the early days of the Roman Empire up until the death of Emperor Claudius. Rather than fixate on the epic battles and blood sport spectacles usual for films and series about ancient Rome, I, Claudius focuses on the interpersonal drama taking place within the elite circles of rulers, politicians, and their spouses as they backstab and seduce each other to gain a hold on power.
If you’re keen to see a series similar to Gladiator II that features far less violence and far more political and interpersonal drama, check out this iconic British series.
The Last of the Mohicans
This 1995 film stars Daniel Day-Lewis as a half-white, half-Native American member of the dwindling Mohican tribe who live peacefully alongside British colonists. But when two daughters of a British colonel are abducted, the tribe become involved in the bloody French and Indian War. Like in Gladiator II, the warrior protagonists are reluctantly dragged into gruesome conflicts created by those in power and find themselves in a struggle for survival and peace.
The Northman
This bloody historical action film from 2022 is directed by Robert Eggers and stars Alexander Skarsgård as Amleth, a viking prince who sets out on a quest to avenge the death of his father. Like Gladiator II, themes of vengeance and justice lie at the heart of The Northman, and while it takes place in Scandinavia rather than ancient Rome, the epic battles and political intrigue make it great viewing for anyone who was entertained by Gladiator II.
Spartacus
This classic historical epic from 1960 was directed by iconic director Stanley Kubrick and stars Kirk Douglas as the legendary slave turned rebellion leader Spartacus. The story follows Spartacus as he is plucked from a mining pit and brought to Rome to become a gladiator. While there, he refuses to cooperate with some of the most heinous requests from Roman elites and winds up sparking a gladiator rebellion that morphs into an all-out slave rebellion against the Roman Republic.
Like Gladiator II, Spartacus focuses on an individual who goes against the grain in ancient Rome’s gladiatorial ring — bringing the battle to the elites who thought the blood sport was only for their entertainment.
More movies and TV series to watch if you loved Gladiator II
If you’re looking for even more recommendations for movies and TV series like Gladiator II to stream, check out these honourable mentions below:
- Centurion
- The Last Samurai
- Troy
- Ben-Hur
- Lawrence of Arabia
- 300
- Game of Thrones
- The Last Duel
- Robin Hood
Where to watch movies and series like Gladiator 2 streaming online
Find out how (and where) to watch all the movies and TV series like Gladiator 2 by scrolling through the list below. The series are all available to stream online across a variety of platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, ITVX, and more!
