Gladiator II Rotten Tomatoes Rating Odds: How revered will the blockbuster sequel be?

The wait is nearly over for fans of one of the greatest historical epics of the 21st Century.

Gladiator II is an upcoming epic historical action film directed by Ridley Scott starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen and Denzel Washington. It will serve as a sequel to the original Gladiator which was released in 2000 and starred Russell Crowe.

Hotly anticipated and 24 years in the making, Gladiator II is scheduled to start running in theaters on Nov. 15, 2024 in the UK and Nov. 22, 2024 in the USA and Canada.

taking bets on what Popcornmeter score the film will receive on Rotten Tomatoes from users, counted exactly one month after its North America release. 

Gladiator II Rotten Tomatoes Score Odds

(Odds updated Oct. 30 at 6:45 a.m. ET)

The Gladiator II Rotten Tomatoes score odds relate to the Popcornmeter rating as of Dec. 22, 2024 at 9 a.m. ET. Rotten Tomatoes’ Popcornmeter rating is based on user reviews that anyone can post, as opposed to the Tomatometer rating, which is based on critics' reviews.

The original Gladiator has a Popcornmeter rating of 87% from more 250,000 user reviews and a Tomatometer rating of 80% from 259 reviews.

Gladiator II Plot

Gladiator II is set more than 20 years after the events of Gladiator, with the story centering around Lucius Verus (played by Mescal), who is the grandson of Rome’s former emperor Marcus Aurelius and son of Lucilla (Nielsen) and Maximus (Russell Crowe) from the first film.

Lucius lives with his wife and child peacefully in Numidia until his home is invaded by Roman soldiers led by General Marcus Acacius (Pascal), who kill his wife and take him into slavery. 

Inspired by the story of his father Maximus, Lucius decides to fight as a gladiator under the tutelage of Macrinus (Washington), a former slave himself who plots to overthrow the young emperors Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) and Geta (Joseph Quinn) and take control of Rome for himself.

Gladiator II Early Reception

Gladiator II premiered on Oct. 18, 2024 at a screening in Los Angeles introduced by lead man Mescal to a largely positive response. 

Critics praised Ridley Scott’s directing, the big set pieces and brutal battle sequences as well as notable performances from Mescal and Washington which could lead to Academy Awards nominations. However, some felt the film lacked the ‘emotional punch’ of the original.

Film critic Scott Menzel rated Gladiator II as “Ridley Scott’s best film since The Martian (which has a Popcornmeter rating of 91%). A big, bloody and bad ass action spectacle that builds upon the legacy of the original.”

Erik Anderson of Awards Watch stated: “Gladiator II is a true epic and Ridley Scott’s best in years”, while writer Simon Thompson felt: “Gladiator II serves up the richest feast in the epic action set pieces and deliciously ribald treachery.”

Griffin Schiller added: “Ridley Scott returns to the Colosseum to prove to the world that he’s still got it. A Shakespearean tale of hope, futility & power within a crumbling system. What a picture!”

However, some reviews were more tempered with entertainment reporter Germain Lussier saying: “Gladiator II doesn’t quite rise to the greatness of the original but it’s a damn fine sequel with big stakes, a solid story and excellent performances. I enjoyed it thoroughly, most probably will too, but it’s just slightly lacking emotionally. Everything is very easy and surface.”

“Gladiator II lacks the focus and emotional punch of the original, and Mescal isn’t quite as captivating a lead here as Crowe was in the original,” said Will Mavity. “But it’s overflowing with memorable action and it’s got Denzel stealing the movie in soon to be one of his most iconic performances.”

Gladiator II Rotten Tomatoes Score Prediction

Perhaps given the huge hype around the film and the early positive reception from critics it is no wonder that bookmakers offer odds of just +125 for Gladiator II to get a popcornmeter rating between 90%-100%. However, given how some critics have suggested the sequel doesn’t quite match up to the original it doesn’t feel like a great value selection. 

With the original Gladiator’s 87% rating, the next band down of 81%-90% feels like the best option available with slightly stronger odds of +150. This gives more scope for the film to drop below the original’s rating or overtake it slightly.

It would be a huge surprise for the movie to fall below that threshold though with 71%-80% and 61%-70% backed at odds of +750 and 60% or less at +900.

My Pick: 81%-90% (+150)

Gladiator II FAQs

When is Gladiator II released?

Gladiator II is set to open in theaters on Nov. 15, 2024 in the UK and a week later on Nov. 22, 2024 in the USA and Canada.

Who is starring in Gladiator II?

Paul Mescal has the lead role of Lucius, Pedro Pascal plays his rival Marcus Acacius, and Denzel Washington features as Macrinus, while Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger play the roles of emperors Geta and Caracalla, respectively. Connie Nielsen and Derek Jacobi reprise their roles of Lucilla and Senator Gracchus from the first film, but original star Russell Crowe is not involved.

Who directed Gladiator II?

Ridley Scott directed Gladiator II just as he did for the original, with his other critically acclaimed work including Alien, Blade Runner and Black Hawk Down.

Where was Gladiator II filmed?

Gladiator II was filmed primarily in Morocco, with some additional scenes being shot in Malta and the UK.

Will there be a Gladiator III?

Director Ridley Scott suggested so in September 2023, saying: “I'm already playing with the idea of Gladiator 3. No, seriously! I lit the wick ... The end of Gladiator II evokes that of the Godfather, with Michael Corleone, who finds himself with a job he did not want, and who wonders, 'and now, Father, what am I doing?' The next (film) will therefore be about a man who does not want to be where he is."