Ridley Scott’s 131-Minute Horror Sequel Is Officially Leaving Streaming

A sequel that seemed too transgressive for the director of one of the most thematically gruesome movies ever made was a cakewalk for Ridley Scott. The filmmaker was working on Gladiator when a producer pitched him the project, and he immediately signed on, as did the Oscar-winning star of the original. However, one key member of the original's cast refused to return, and her role was recast. The movie was ultimately deemed inferior to the original, but it was a major box-office hit. It's now streaming on Peacock in the United States, but not for much longer.

It was released theatrically a few months after Gladiator became a surprise Best Picture winner at the Oscars. In its opening weekend of release, the horror sequel broke numerous box-office records. It eventually grossed more than $350 million worldwide against a reported budget of almost $90 million, falling short of Gladiator's haul but surpassing that of its predecessor. However, the reviews were mediocre, with high audience expectations being one of the reasons behind the film's lasting reputation as a letdown. Featuring Ray Liotta and Gary Oldman, the movie now holds a 39% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes.