“The time for honoring yourself will soon be at an end… Highness.” Maximus’ delivery of that line in Gladiator remains one of the best scenes in the film.
Directed by Ridley Scott, Gladiator was released in 2000 and starred Russell Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius, Joaquin Phoenix as throne usurper Commodus, Connie Nielsen as Lucilla, and Djimon Hounsou as Juba. Set during the time of the Roman Empire, the movie centers on Maximus, a general who finds himself compelled into servitude and must fight as a gladiator. Bent on vengeance against Commodus for murdering his family and the emperor Marcus Aurelius (Commodus’ father), he aims to earn his freedom and the trust of the spectating public.
Maximus gains allies, and among them is his former lover Lucilla, Commodus’ sister. She and her son Lucius are stuck under her brother’s malicious thumb. It’s a film fraught with deadly fights, bold threats and clandestine meetings.
Released nearly 25 years ago, the Academy Award-winning Gladiator is now considered a classic. Its sequel arrives in theaters on Nov. 22, with Nielsen reprising her role as Lucilla and Paul Mescal as a now-grown Lucius. Before you head to the movies to see the new story in Gladiator 2, you can stream the first film right at home.
Read more: Best Free TV Streaming Services: Tubi, Pluto TV and More
How to watch Gladiator for free
You can stream Gladiator for free and on-demand via Pluto TV. Because it’s an ad-supported streaming service, you will have to sit through commercials, but the platform offers the ability to rewind, fast-forward or restart it from the beginning.
Pluto TV is a free TV streaming service that provides access to more than 250 live channels and movies on demand, though you can’t pause content. The platform is available in multiple regions, including the US, Canada, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK, Finland and Australia.
Watch Gladiator on Paramount Plus
If you already have a paid subscription to Paramount Plus, you can stream the first epic Gladiator film right now.
Paramount Plus offers two subscription options: ad-supported Essentials costs $8 per month, while the ad-free Paramount Plus with Showtime is $13 a month. The latter provides access to on-demand content as well as your live local CBS station and titles from Showtime.
