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The Rewatchables ·

Gladiator

year 2000decade 00sdirector Ridley Scottgenre Actiongenre Adventuregenre Drama
host Bill Simmonshost Chris Ryanhost Shea Serranohost Jason Concepcion
All 16 categories

Most Rewatchable Scene · 31:41

The first Colosseum battle, ending with Maximus revealing himself

The opening Germania battle is nominated and praised for realism, physical scale, and immediate character building.

Bill Simmons: Marcus Aurelius asking Maximus to rule is nominated for establishing their bond and a generational passing of the torch.

The film

Gladiator (2000)

Directed by Ridley Scott · Action

155 minutes

IMDb Letterboxd JustWatch Find on Rotten Tomatoes
Cast

Selected cast credits · Film reference

Russell Crowe Maximus Decimus Meridius
Joaquin Phoenix Commodus
Connie Nielsen Lucilla
Oliver Reed Antonius Proximo
Derek Jacobi Senator Gracchus
Richard Harris Marcus Aurelius
David Hemmings Cassius
David Schofield Senator Falco
John Shrapnel Senator Gaius

Everything from the episode

In the order the hosts got to it. Open a row for the discussion.

31:41

Most Rewatchable Scene

The first Colosseum battle, ending with Maximus revealing himself

The first Colosseum battle, ending with Maximus revealing himself

In the discussion (9)
Approx. transcript time · 00:31:41Read transcript
  • The opening Germania battle is nominated and praised for realism, physical scale, and immediate character building.
  • Marcus Aurelius asking Maximus to rule is nominated for establishing their bond and a generational passing of the torch. — Bill Simmons
  • Commodus killing Marcus Aurelius is acknowledged as powerful but not a scene the panel would casually dial up.
  • Maximus escaping his execution is nominated, with the caveat that the family aftermath makes the scene hard to continue watching. — Shea Serrano
  • The first chained gladiator fight is nominated for the strangers’ rapid teamwork.
  • The one-versus-six “Are you not entertained?” fight is nominated.
  • The first Colosseum battle and Maximus identity reveal are the unanimous choice.
  • The tiger fight is nominated.
  • The pre-final confrontation between Commodus and the chained Maximus is nominated for Maximus’s verbal reversal.
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55:34

What’s Aged the Best?

Opening dialogue, background arena brutality, Joaquin Phoenix’s improvised outburst and performance, memorable lines,...

Opening dialogue, background arena brutality, Joaquin Phoenix’s improvised outburst and performance, memorable lines, post–Game of Thrones incest jokes, and the sword-and-sandal fights

In the discussion (7)
Approx. transcript time · 00:55:34Read transcript
  • The gladiator combine’s casual background violence is praised as vivid world-building. — Jason Concepcion
  • Commodus’s “am I not merciful?” outburst is praised and reported as improvised. — Chris Ryan
  • “It vexes me” is praised. — Bill Simmons
  • Joaquin Phoenix’s performance is called flawless. — Shea Serrano
  • “Tell the men their general lives” is praised and connected to a personal comeback joke. — Shea Serrano
  • Suggestions of incest are jokingly said to have aged better after Game of Thrones.
  • The film’s sword-and-sandal fight scenes are called the best one host has seen. — Bill Simmons
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1:00:03

What’s Aged the Worst?

The runtime, repeated Elysium imagery, Senate ending, digital Oliver Reed, and missing Proximo action draw objections.

The runtime, repeated Elysium imagery, Senate ending, digital Oliver Reed, and missing Proximo action draw objections.

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:00:03Read transcript
  • The movie could lose roughly twelve to fifteen minutes. — Bill Simmons
  • The repeated wheat-field Elysium imagery feels heavy-handed. — Chris Ryan
  • The Senate and restored-republic ending is questioned. — Jason Concepcion
  • The digitally completed Oliver Reed material is visibly artificial.
  • The film loses an intended Proximo fight because of Reed’s death. — Bill Simmons
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1:03:59

The Joey Pants “That Guy” Award

Tommy Flanagan

Tommy Flanagan

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:03:59Read transcript
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1:05:02

The Ruffalo / Hanna / Rubinek / Partridge Overacting Award

Oliver Reed

Oliver Reed

In the discussion (2)
Approx. transcript time · 01:05:02Read transcript
  • Oliver Reed is selected for his grand, scenery-chewing Proximo speeches. — Bill Simmons
  • A research anecdote says Reed took an instant dislike to Crowe and challenged him to a fight. — Bill Simmons
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1:06:11

The Dion Waiters Award for Best Heat Check Performance

Ralf Moeller’s Hagen

Ralf Moeller’s Hagen

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:06:11Read transcript
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1:18:36

Apex Mountain

Russell Crowe, Connie Nielsen, and touching wheat

Russell Crowe, Connie Nielsen, and touching wheat

In the discussion (6)
Approx. transcript time · 01:18:36Read transcript
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1:22:51

Sequel, Prequel, Limited Series, or All-Black Remake

No ten-episode remake

No ten-episode remake

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:22:51Read transcript
  • Rome is cited as an existing series in the same space. — Bill Simmons
  • The film should not be remade. — Bill Simmons
  • Game of Thrones carries direct echoes of the film’s political and arena spectacle. — Bill Simmons
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1:28:20

Who Won the Movie?

Russell Crowe

Russell Crowe

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:28:20Read transcript
Podcast choices
Speaker not identified
Russell Crowe
Speaker not identified
Russell Crowe
Bill Simmons
Fields of wheat
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Mentions across The Rewatchables

Recorded movie reference

Rocky II

The Rewatchables · aired December 2, 2025

Gladiator is listed in the sourced research for this episode. The precise discussion has not been linked yet.

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