Denzel Washington’s 148-Minute Epic Sequel Officially Dethrones Ben Affleck’s Animals on Netflix

Denzel Washington is all set to return to the screens next year with an untitled thriller from Mission: Impossible director Christopher McQuarrie, but the star is already ruling Netflix with his two-year-old movie. According to FlixPatrol, Gladiator II has topped the Netflix charts for October 22, 2026, dethroning Ben Affleck’s directorial, Animals.

Washington reunited with Ridley Scott after American Gangster, and while the much-hyped sequel was underwhelming for its budget, the 148-minute epic seems to be picking up on streaming years later, possibly leading the way for Scott to work on a third movie.

Denzel Washington Breaks Ben Affleck’s Hot Streak on Netflix

Ben Affleck in Animals | Credits: Netflix

Ben Affleck returned to the director’s chair after the sports drama Air, with an intriguing political thriller, Animals. Affleck was reportedly only supposed to be behind the camera and direct his best friend, Matt Damon, but plans changed, and Affleck took on the leading role. While the film was a hit, raking in some incredible opening numbers, it is nowhere near Affleck’s previous hit.

Affleck’s last release on Netflix was the action thriller, The Rip, which also starred Matt Damon. The film went on to become one of the most-watched films on the platform, garnering 41.6 million views within the first three days (via Tudum). While Animals was number one in multiple countries, including the USA, the numbers were not on par.

Ben Affleck’s political thriller reportedly only racked up 23.8 million views in its opening weekend (via Tudum), which is quite a bit less than The Rip. Negative reviews and Denzel Washington’s Gladiator II suddenly rising to the top could be the cause of Affleck’s movie falling short and breaking his near-perfect streak with Netflix.

Animals is still a hit and opened to number one on Netflix. However, the numbers seem to tell a different story. The actor/director will no doubt make more movies with the streamer, as his AI company was bought by Netflix. Still, will they invest more if he comes along with Matt Damon, or will his solo projects still get what they deserve? Only time will tell.

Gladiator II’s Streaming Success Could Pave the Way for a Threequel

Denzel Washington in Gladiator II | Credits: Paramount Pictures

Denzel Washington and Ridley Scott came together after decades with Gladiator II. A sequel to the filmmaker’s iconic historical epic starring Russell Crowe, the movie did not have Crowe but centered on the character’s son, Lucius, played by Paul Mescal. Despite mixed reviews, the film had a good opening and fell short of the original’s box office numbers.

However, the film seems to be hitting it big on streaming now. Gladiator II took the top spot on Netflix right after returning to the streamer this week. It beat Ben Affleck’s directorial effort, Animals, and other releases like Hot Wheels Let’s Race, The Fate of the Furious, Sacrifice, and Twilight. 

Ridley Scott has been vocal about his interest in making a third Gladiator movie, even mentioning that he was working on the project at the time of the Denzel Washington-starrer’s release. If the streaming numbers for the sequel do well again, there might be a chance for Scott to mount the third movie. Denzel Washington’s Macrinus died in the previous film, so he might not return.

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