Peacock’s ‘Gladiator’ Successor Finally Gets a Win on a Familiar Streamer

The 2010 TV series Spartacus set the standard for ancient Rome/gladiator-centered stories on the small screen. Up to that point, ambitious storytelling was limited to feature films like the 2003 epic Gladiator. Spartacus became a global phenomenon as the gladiators tore through Roman society to free others from slavery. In 2024, eleven years had passed since fans had seen a good gladiator story on television. Those About to Die premiered on 18th July 2024 and immediately scratched that eleven-year itch. Made for the fledgling American streaming service Peacock, Those About to Die broke barriers when it went global on Prime Video, becoming one of the most talked about shows of that year. Two years later, Those About to Die is still showing signs of life.

Streaming data from FlixPatrol shows the Iwan Rheon-led drama experiencing renewed interest on another streaming service, Starz, which is fitting given that Starz is where Spartacus calls home. There is also a huge appetite for the ambitious series in Arabic-speaking countries. There is also significant interest in Nigeria, as Those About to Die is in the top ten most-watched shows on Amazon. Those About to Die follows a large ensemble of characters who find themselves in the city of dreams and ambition, Rome, through various means. It examines the disparities in life between the ordinary resident and the aristocratic elite in the context of Roman politics and entertainment.

‘Those About to Die’ Remains In Limbo

Two years later, the show has never been officially cancelled or renewed despite series director and executive producer Roland Emmerich expressing the desire to continue the story. “We have this idea to do a Godfather Part II model. Meaning, Godfather 1 was this perfect movie, and they said, “What should we do?” They went into the past,” he said in an interview. “You show how all this came to be, that Domitian (Jojo Macari) became emperor, and that gets his son in trouble because he’s related to him. They go after him and he survives. Then, on the other hand, tell the story of all these characters and what happens further. I don’t want to give that away.”

And while Those About to Die might not have satisfied that hunger fully, the Spartacus universe recently came back to life with the offshoot Spartacus: House of Ashur. It is an alternate-history reimagining of events where Ashur didn’t die and became the Dominus of his own house. Season 1 concluded last week, and the show has shown great potential with a 91% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, in addition to topping streaming charts.

Watch Those About to Die on Peacock and Spartacus: House of Ashur on Starz.