Gladiator 2 may still be in theaters, but the historical action drama may soon be available to stream at home.
More than two decades after Russell Crowe's Gladiator, Ridley Scott's long-awaited sequel finally hit the big screen in November starring Paul Mescal (how is his Lucius the son of Crowe's Maximus?), Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Denzel Washington.
When Will Gladiator 2 Release on Digital?
While Gladiator 2 only arrived in U.S. theaters on November 22, the sequel is expected to be available for digital purchase relatively soon.
Throughout 2024, Paramount followed a pattern for when its theatrical films became available for purchase. Below are the theatrical-digital windows for four of Paramount's theatrical releases from this year:
- Mean Girls
- Theatrical: January 12, 2024
- Digital: February 20, 2024 (39 days after theatrical)
- If
- Theatrical: May 17, 2024
- Digital: June 18, 2024 (32 days after theatrical)
- A Quiet Place: Day One
- Theatrical: June 28, 2024
- Digital: July 30, 2024 (32 days after theatrical)
- Transformers: One
- Theatrical: September 20, 2024
- Digital: October 22, 2024 (32 days after theatrical)
Based on past releases, Gladiator 2 is likely to be released digitally around 32 days after its theatrical debut, putting its digital date around December 24 and just in time for a home holiday release.
However, the sequel performed well at the box office (check out The Direct's Gladiator 2 review here) having earned more than $325 million globally (per Box Office Mojo). This came against heavy competition like Wicked and Moana.
Since the Paul Mescal-led drama needs to cross $400 million to be profitable for Paramount (via Collider), the question is whether the studio will extend Gladiator 2's theatrical run to capitalize on Christmas theater-goers or surrender to Wicked and Moana and attempt to dominate a holiday digital release.
While the digital option seems more likely given the studio's established pattern, if Gladiator 2 opts to follow Mean Girls' schedule, the sequel could become available for digital purchase on December 31, just in time for New Year's.
When Will Gladiator 2 Start Streaming for Subscribers?
After Gladiator 2's digital release, the sequel will be headed to Paramount+ for an exclusive run.
For reference, the following are four of Paramount's recent films and the timelines between their theatrical debuts and when they began streaming:
- Mean Girls
- Theatrical: January 12, 2024
- Paramount+: March 5, 2024 (53 days after theatrical)
- If
- Theatrical: May 17, 2024
- Paramount+: July 9, 2024 (53 days after theatrical)
- A Quiet Place: Day One
- Theatrical: June 28, 2024
- Paramount+: August 27, 2024 (60 days after theatrical)
- Transformers: One
- Theatrical: September 20, 2024
- Paramount+: November 15, 2024 (56 days after theatrical)
If Gladiator 2 follows the same strategy as the studios' other 2024 films, it's likely to drop on Paramount+ around 50 to 60 days after its November 22 debut, meaning a mid to late January release date is expected.
Gladiator 2 is playing now in theaters worldwide.
