GLADIATOR
Year: 2000
USA: DreamWorks SKG
UK DVD: Universal Pictures International UK
UK: UIP
Cast: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Richard Harris, Djimon Hounsou, Tomas Arana, Spencer Treat Clark, David Hemmings, Derek Jacobi, Chris Kell, Ralph Moeller, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed
Director: Ridley Scott
Country: USA
UK: 155 mins
USA Rated: R for intense, graphic combat
UK Certificate: 15 for some occasional strong and bloody gladiatorial combat
USA Release Date: 5 May 2000
UK DVD Release: 7 September 2009
UK Release Date: 27 August 2009 (Limited Re-release)
UK Release Date: 12 May 2000
Synopsis (digital presentation)
Universal Pictures is proud to announce that epic adventure GLADIATOR directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe will be re-released as a digital presentation on the big screen for a special one day showing at all Vue Digital screens on August 27th. The release precedes the Blu-ray debut of GLADIATOR, released on 7th September in the UK.
GLADIATOR picked up 5 Academy Awards® and tells the story of Maximus Decimus (played by Crowe) a Roman general who is betrayed by the corrupt prince Commodus. Captured and enslaved along the outer fringes of the Roman Empire, Maximus rises through the ranks of the gladiatorial arena to avenge the murders of his family and his emperor. The Universal / Dreamworks co-production captured people's hearts when released in May 2000 and grossed a massive $457,640,427 at the box office. It is also one of Universal's best selling DVDs of all time, selling over 5,372,000 million units worldwide since 2004.
Synopsis
It has been four decades since chariots raced and swords flashed across movie screens in epic dramas of a time long past. Now, director Ridley Scott brings the glorious battles of the ancient Roman arena back to the big screen in a sweeping story of courage and revenge. GLADIATOR is set in the days of the Roman Empire in the third century AD.
The great Roman General Maximus (Russell Crowe) has once again led the legions to victory on the battlefield. The war won, Maximus dreams of home, wanting only to return to his wife and son. However, the dying Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) who is Maximus' father, has one more duty for the general, to assume the mantle of his power. But Emperor Marcus Aurelius, is murdered by Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix). Maximus is stripped of his rank and sold into slavery by Emperor Commodus. Maximus returns to Rome though, as a gladiator, on a mission of revenge.
Oliver Reed, a gladiator trainer, died during the making of this £70 million epic and some 30 000 extras were used to recreate the scenes of the Roman Empire in this movie shot mainly in Malta. GLADIATOR is set to be another blockbuster for Ridley Scott, the British director now in his early 60s, whose previous films have included the hits, ALIEN, BLADE RUNNER and THELMA AND LOUISE.