‹ All movies

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.

28:31

Roger Ebert's review
In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 00:28:31Read transcript
  • Ebert gave Gladiator two stars. — Bill Simmons
  • He compared the story to “Rocky on downers,” said the film lacked joy, and criticized its reliance on bitter, morose characters. — Bill Simmons
  • He later stood by the review and criticized the special effects. — Bill Simmons
Share this discussion More Roger Ebert's review answers
1:03:37

Casting What-Ifs

Reported Maximus possibilities: Mel Gibson, Antonio Banderas, Ben Mendelsohn, and Hugh Jackman; Christopher Plummer a...

Reported Maximus possibilities: Mel Gibson, Antonio Banderas, Ben Mendelsohn, and Hugh Jackman; Christopher Plummer as Marcus Aurelius (Crowe’s unsuccessful preference)

In the discussion (3)
Approx. transcript time · 01:03:37Read transcript
Share this discussion More Casting What-Ifs answers
1:08:30

Recasting Couch

Kevin Garnett as Juba, with an accent caveat

Kevin Garnett as Juba, with an accent caveat

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 01:08:30Read transcript
Share this discussion More Recasting Couch answers
1:10:19

Half-Assed Internet Research

The cost of digitally completing Oliver Reed footage, historical Marcus Aurelius, Commodus, Maximus, and Lucilla, Cro...

The cost of digitally completing Oliver Reed footage, historical Marcus Aurelius, Commodus, Maximus, and Lucilla, Crowe’s injuries, the Gladiator effect, sequel plans, Nick Cave’s script, and the film’s unusual finality

In the discussion (10)
Approx. transcript time · 01:10:19Read transcript
  • Digitally completing Oliver Reed footage reportedly cost an extra $3.2 million. — Bill Simmons
  • Marcus Aurelius died during the Antonine Plague rather than being murdered by Commodus.
  • Historical Commodus fought in arenas, brutalized disabled people, ruled after his father, and was strangled in his bath by the wrestler Narcissus. — Bill Simmons
  • Maximus is identified as a fictional character.
  • Lucilla was implicated in an assassination plot, exiled, and later executed on her brother’s order. — Bill Simmons
  • Russell Crowe accumulated numerous injuries, including finger numbness, Achilles trouble, broken and cracked bones, tendon injuries, and a wound visible on screen.
  • The film is credited with a “Gladiator effect” that revived popular interest in classical history and historical epics. — Bill Simmons
  • Years of sequel ideas included a Maximus prequel and Lucius sequel.
  • Nick Cave wrote an unmade sequel in which Maximus returns from hell, fights through history, and ends as a modern Pentagon general. — Chris Ryan
  • The panel notes that a comparable modern action film would likely reserve its hero for sequels, while Gladiator gains power from Maximus dying. — Jason Concepcion
Share this discussion More Half-Assed Internet Research answers
1:21:03

Picking Nits

Commodus’s delayed killing of Maximus, ride timing, Germany-to-Spain travel, and the forest execution

Commodus’s delayed killing of Maximus, ride timing, Germany-to-Spain travel, and the forest execution

In the discussion (4)
Approx. transcript time · 01:21:03Read transcript
  • Commodus should kill Maximus immediately.
  • The ride-to-dawn timing is questioned.
  • Travel from Germany to Spain is implausibly compressed.
  • The execution squad’s forest procedure is questioned.
Share this discussion More Picking Nits answers
1:24:17

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Preferred arena masks; whether Gladiator is a sports movie; Commodus’s predation; the analogous WWE plot

Preferred arena masks; whether Gladiator is a sports movie; Commodus’s predation; the analogous WWE plot

In the discussion (5)
Approx. transcript time · 01:24:17Read transcript
  • Which of the available gladiator masks would each host choose?
  • Does Gladiator qualify as a sports movie?
  • Is Commodus primarily motivated by incest or by pedophilia? — Bill Simmons
  • The actor playing Maximus’s wife, Giannina Facio, married Ridley Scott in 2015. — Bill Simmons
  • Which WWE plot does Maximus versus Commodus resemble? — Bill Simmons
Share this discussion More Probably Unanswerable Questions answers

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.

Transcript time unavailableRead transcript
Source 1Source 2