10 Must-See Movies Like Gladiator

Ridley Scott’s epic tale of a vengeful gladiator was a huge box office hit in 2000. The emotionally gripping tale of Russell Crowe’s Maximus seeking revenge on Joaquin Phoenix’s sinister Commodus, who condemns him to a life of slavery and brutality after murdering his family, captured cinema audiences’ imaginations and firmly placed this film in the realm of the classic historical films.

The film received twelve Academy Award nominations, winning five and cementing the production in the minds of film fans around the world. There’s news of a sequel that got us all thinking about other movies about Gladiators, so we quickly got to work to bring you ten movies like The Gladiators gladiator you have to watch

10 Must-See Movies Like Gladiator

The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)

Let’s start with an authentic old-school Hollywood epic. Starring Sophia Loren and Alec Guinness, this is a three-hour epic of a film that explores the reason the Roman Empire collapsed in on itself. The setting makes it a similar film gladiator, and we begin with Emperor Marcus Aurelius trying his best to hold the Empire together. However, as the title suggests, it doesn’t take long for things to start to unravel. Spectacular and mesmerizing, this is an authentic piece of old Hollywood magic.

Pompeii (2014)

Here we are back in the realm of the Roman Empire in this fantastic but little-known tale of gladiators bent on revenge. The brooding, long-haired, death-defying Kit Harrington plays a slave-turned-gladiator fighting an evil Emperor, played by Kiefer Sutherland, in a bid to save his one true love. The film sounds similar gladiatorso this is an easy entry to add to the list.

The Eagle (2011)

We had Kiefer, so we might as well have his father Donald in this entry, doing an excellent job of mixing up a real documented historical event, the disappearance of an entire legion, and providing an explanation. The Ninth Legion is missing in the Scottish Highlands and I’ve been there and it happens easily. Channing Tatum plays Marcus Aquila, a young Roman on a quest to recover the Legion’s missing eagle standard and restore his father’s honor. Along the way he meets Jamie Bell, a Pictish warrior who will help him on his journey in this exciting film.

Centurion (2010)

Michael Fassbender and Dominic West lead the cast in this thrilling ride on an adventure set in 117 AD. It was written and directed by Neil Marshall, and you may be familiar with that name from films like dog soldiers And The descent, so you might get an idea of ​​the tone of this feature. A group of Roman soldiers led by Fassbender must battle a powerful tribe of Picts while trying to escape to safety. Similar to gladiatorthis is an action packed and visceral offering that fans should see.

300 (2006)

It would be unfair not to include this entry in our list. The retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC. Chr. was an instant hit, wowing audiences with its lush graphics and hard-nosed battle scenes. Raw and unadulterated, the film would become part of popular culture. Starring the rugged Scottish six-pack everyman Gerard Butler as Leonidas, directed by justice league And Guardian Revisionist Zack Snyder and based on Frank Miller’s comic book series of the same name, this was the perfect storm of talent that would bring this tragic heroic tale to life.

Brave Heart (1995)

Five years ago gladiatorThey released a rousing and influential film loosely based on the life of William Wallace Brave heart. Although it’s a completely different time zone, it has to be said that this is a similar film Gladiator. Both are historical dramas; both have a strong central character with feelings of revenge, both have breathtaking fight and fight scenes, and both made huge films that would leave audiences alive and moved. It’s difficult to separate the two thematically, so it has to be included in our list.

Spartacus (1960)

We have to go back to the golden age of Hollywood epics for this film, but it seems unfair not to include it in a list of films about gladiators. Starring Kirk Douglas and Laurence Olivier, this is the story of a slave rebellion rising against a corrupt emperor. Lavish sets, incredible non-CGI action sequences and a gripping final act make this a film that everyone should see.

Excalibur (1981)

I often feel like this epic retelling of the legend of King Arthur is overlooked by movie buffs. So when I get the chance to push them for people to discover, I always do. Arthur’s story has a lot in common with Maximus, and the tone of both films feels related. There are shocking moments of sudden violence in both films and some excellent directing and visuals. Nigel Terry’s performance as Arthur is also on par with Crowe’s, so if this film was on your must-watch list, now is the time to do it.

Robin Hood (2010)

So although we’re in a different time period once again, Ridley Scott takes a stab at the legend of Robin Hood and reprises Russell Crowe as his lead. Perhaps hoping to strike gold again, the band reunited, but it seemed that audiences didn’t feel it this time, resulting in only minor box office success. The film also suffered from comparisons to other Robin Hood productions and quickly fell into memory lapses, but there’s a lot to like here. The legend is deconstructed and more grounded than other offerings, and the cast is great. Check it out if you’re a fan of this dynamic duo.

Ben-Hur (1959)

Charlton Heston has pretty much established himself as a Hollywood legend in movies like this and others like it gladiator go, it has to be looked at. This is another tale of betrayal and revenge, themes in many of these films, and in terms of spectacle there is of course no more iconic scene in this epic than the chariot race. It had the largest sets ever made for a movie, employed over ten thousand extras, and the wagon scene alone took five weeks, more than three months to shoot, and cost a million dollars alone. They don’t do them like that anymore.

Do you have any other recommendations for movies like Gladiator? Let us know!

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