Denzel Washington’s 148-Minute Sequel Hated by Original Star Officially Sets Netflix Release Date

Denzel Washington’s movies have been having a good time, and it seems that another one of his movies has finally been given a Netflix release date. Although released back in 2024, Ridley Scott and Denzel Washington’s Gladiator II will officially be available to stream on Netflix starting October 21, 2026.

Although the film received polarizing reviews during its release, the sequel has been liked by many. Fans of Denzel Washington especially loved his performance as Macrinus, a former Aethiope slave who plans to control Rome and mentors Paul Mescal’s Lucius.

Despite being a sequel to the legendary 2000 film Gladiator, several fans did not see the sequel’s appeal compared to the original movie. One of them was Russell Crowe, who played the main role of Maximus Decimus Meridius in Gladiator.

Why Russell Crowe Hated Denzel Washington’s Gladiator II

Russell Crowe as Maximus in a still from Gladiator | Credits: DreamWorks Pictures

Well… It’s quite bad when a major star comments on the sequel’s polarizing reviews. However, that is exactly what happened when Russell Crowe sat down for a chat with Variety and revealed his thoughts about the Denzel Washington flick.

Revealing that the sequel lacked a moral core, Crowe stated that the sequel was quite interesting “because the second movie barely took the same box office that the first movie took. That’s 20 years later”.

When you apply how much of a change there’s been on the value of a dollar, they failed. They failed because they didn’t understand why [the original movie] was successful — it had a moral core.

He further noted that Gladiator was successful because “it had a moral core”. The actor was quite upfront about his thoughts regarding the sequel. However, he isn’t completely wrong, and neither is he completely right. The better question to ask is: Is Gladiator II worth watching now that it will be available on Netflix?

Is Gladiator II Worth Watching?

Denzel Washington as Macrinus in Gladiator II | Credits: Paramount Pictures

Any movie is worth watching, considering people go in with the right expectations. If you’re a fan of big, loud action movies like Michael Bay’s 6 Underground, the 2024 sequel delivers. From epic mock naval battles in the Colosseum (which is a historical fact, by the way) to a Gladiator riding a rhinoceros, Gladiator II delivers on scale, but not towards… a moral core.

If you’re watching Gladiator II to compare it to the original 2000 that hit theaters, you’re going to be disappointed. The original film had an emotional weight, tighter storytelling, and a hidden gravitas that the sequel lacks.

Not to mention that Russell Crowe’s acting as Maximus is quite hard to follow, considering that the sequel plays on similar beats from the original movie, and the characters don’t simply hit that hard enough.

So, if you want a fun, well-made action flick, watch Gladiator II. However, if you’re expecting a film that could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the original classic, you may be disappointed.

Did you like Gladiator II? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Gladiator II will be available to stream on Netflix from October 21, 2026.