Paul Mescal-Led Sequel Conquers Overseas Box Office

Gladiator II, featuring Paul Mescal in the lead role, premieres in US theaters on November 22, 2024. Before that, the movie had its world premiere in Sydney, Australia, on October 30, 2024, and subsequently debuted in various international markets. The initial audience response in these places is overwhelmingly positive, with the film now ruling the overseas box office.

Gladiator 2 box office starts strong with $87 million international debut

Gladiator 2 has raked up an estimated $87 million on its debut in 63 overseas markets. This includes the UK, where it topped the box office by accumulating $11.4 million from 722 theaters. Additionally, the movie has already made $10.3 million in France, $4.3 in Germany, $5.6 million in Spain, $4.9 million in Australia, $4.7 million in Mexico, $3 million in Brazil, and $3.2 million in South Korea (via Deadline).

With Gladiator 2’s impending release in the US and China this Friday, these box office figures will likely become even more impressive. The movie is projected to make $60 to 80 million in the domestic box office on the opening weekend, according to Box Office Pro. However, Quorum predicts a more modest opening for the movie: around $42 million to $47 million (via Deadline). Its biggest competitor for the top spot in the US box office is Wicked, which is also coming out on November 22.

Notably, Gladiator 2 has a production budget of $210 million. The movie has earned an approval rating of 75% after 161 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 68 out of 100 after 38 reviews on Metacritic.

Directed by Ridley Scott, Gladiator 2 is the sequel to Scott’s 2000 historical epic Gladiator, featuring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Djimon Hounsou, Richard Harris, and Oliver Reed. Made on a $103 million production budget, it went on to earn $465.4 million at the global box office. It received five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe, at the 73rd Academy Awards.