Released in the United States on May 5, 2000, Gladiator was a box office success, receiving generally positive reviews, and was credited with briefly reviving the historical epic. The film was nominated for and won multiple awards, particularly five Academy Awards in the 73rd Academy Awards including Best Picture. Although there have been talks of both a prequel and sequel, as of 2011, no production has begun.

 

Plot

General Maximus Decimus Meridius (Russell Crowe) leads soldiers of the Roman army to a decisive victory against Germanic barbarians, ending a long war on the Roman frontier and earning the esteem of the elderly Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris). Marcus is dying and, though he has a son, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix), the emperor wishes to grant temporary leadership to Maximus with a desire to eventually return power to the Roman Senate. After directly being told that he will not be appointed emperor by Marcus, Commodus secretly murders his father in a fit of rage and then claims the throne.

Maximus realizes the truth about Commodus's patricide but is betrayed by his friend, General Quintus (Tomas Arana), who, albeit reluctantly, instructs the Praetorian guards to carry out Commodus' order to execute Maximus. Soldiers are also sent to murder Maximus's wife (Giannina Facio) and son (Giorgio Cantarini). Maximus manages to escape his execution, and races home only to find that he was too late to save his family. After burying them, Maximus is found unconscious by slave traders and taken to Zucchabar, a Roman city in North Africa. There, he is bought by gladiator manager Proximo (Oliver Reed), and forced to fight for his life as a gladiator in arena tournaments. During this time, he befriends the Numidian gladiator, Juba (Djimon Hounsou), and a barbarian from Germania named Hagen (Ralf Möller). Juba proves to be a great comfort to Maximus, encouraging him to have faith that he will be reunited with his family in the afterlife.

Maximus gains notoriety through his impressive victories as a gladiator, ultimately reaching the historic Roman Colosseum, where his group is contracted to fight in a tribute to the Battle of Carthage. In his first event, he skillfully leads a band of gladiators to defeat an opposing chariot and archer force, earning the crowd's praise through his heroics. Upon being introduced to Commodus in the arena afterward, he reveals himself to the stunned emperor. The crowd votes for him to live and Commodus spares Maximus to appease them. Maximus later manages to win against the undefeated gladiator Tigris, along with tigers released into the arena, yet refuses to obey Commodus's command to perform the coup de grâce. As a result, he is pronounced "Maximus the Merciful" by the crowd, which furthers Commodus's frustration, as it seems he cannot stop his ascending popularity.

Following the fight, Maximus is met by his former servant Cicero (Tommy Flanagan), who informs him that his army is still loyal to him. Soon thereafter, Maximus conspires with Lucilla (Connie Nielsen), Commodus's sister, and the senator Gracchus (Derek Jacobi), to rejoin with his army and topple Commodus by force. Commodus, however, suspects his sister of betrayal and manipulates her into revealing the plot by indirectly threatening her young son Lucius (Spencer Treat Clark). During Maximus's attempted escape, Commodus's guards attack Proximo's gladiator school. Hagen and Proximo are killed in the attack, while Juba and the survivors are imprisoned. Maximus makes it to the city walls, but Cicero, who was waiting for him with horses, is killed by archers and Maximus is arrested by the guards.

Now desperate to have Maximus killed, Commodus arranges a duel with him in the arena. Unknown to the crowd, Commodus stabs a restrained Maximus in his side with a stiletto before they enter the arena. In the fight, Maximus manages to force Commodus's sword from his hands. When Commodus demands a sword from the surrounding guards, Quintus orders them to sheathe their weapons. Commodus produces the hidden stiletto, but Maximus plunges the stiletto into Commodus's throat, killing him. With his dying words Maximus carries out Marcus Aurelius's commands, calling for Gracchus to be reinstated, the slaves to be freed, and power in Rome to be transferred to the Senate. Maximus dies in Lucilla's arms, who then reiterates his wishes and memory. Some time later, Juba buries Maximus's two small figurines of his wife and son in the ground where Maximus died, promising to see him in the afterlife.