Entertainment

Ridley Scott’s $250 Million Epic That Almost Starred Miles Teller Is a Certified Sleeper Hit on Streaming

Published

2 weeks ago

23 November 2025

Ridley Scott’s $250 Million Epic That Almost Starred Miles Teller Is a Certified Sleeper Hit on Streaming

Ridley Scott has been directing sci-fi classics and historical epics for years now, but one of his most controversial pieces of work has accomplished unprecedented streaming dominance. Last year, around this time, Scott released the long-awaited Gladiator II, the legacy sequel to his 2000 Oscar-winning masterpiece led by Russell Crowe. Crowe did not return as Maximus in the sequel, but Scott recruited Paul Mescal to star as his son, Lucius. Reports indicate that Scott considered several famous actors for the role of Lucius, including Miles Teller, Timothée Chalamet, Austin Butler, and Richard Madden, but it was Mescal who won his heart and earned the role.

Gladiator II began streaming on Paramount+ in America after the film wrapped up its theatrical run earlier this year, and it’s also joined the Prime Video streaming library in the months since. The legacy sequel is charting in the top 10 on Paramount+ in more than 10 countries around the world, and it’s also still a hit on VOD on both Google and iTunes in twice as many countries. The film may not have been as well-liked as the original Gladiator, but it’s left a lasting impact as one of Scott’s most successful films on streaming.

Gladiator II faced an uphill battle to make a profit at the box office, one that it ultimately lost. The film boasts a massive production cost of around $250 million, and it was reported that Paramount spent another $100 million marketing the film. This left its break-even point at well over $500 million, but the film wrapped up its run at $462 million worldwide. It earned respectable scores of 70% from critics and 81% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.

Ridley Scott Has Another Historical Epic Dominating Streaming

Five years after he directed Gladiator, Scott teamed up with Lord of the Rings star Orlando Bloom for Kingdom of Heaven, the 2005 historical epic following Balian of Ibelin as he travels to Jerusalem during the Crusades of the 12th century. Kingdom of Heaven is streaming exclusively on Starz in America, but globally, the film recently hit HBO Max and wasted no time climbing into the streamer’s top 10. Kingdom of Heaven grossed $214 million at the global box office, and it earned scores of 39% from critics and 72% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.

Be sure to watch Gladiator II on Prime Video or Paramount+ in America and stay tuned to Collider for more streaming updates.