Ridley Scott is back with a sequel to his best picture-winning “Gladiator,” and if it wins the top prize come Oscar night, he will have finally won a statuette of his own as a producer of the film, something he wasn’t on the original 2000 release starring Russell Crowe.
Oscar fortunes aside, the sequel is off to a strong start at the box office, grossing more than $325.3 million worldwide through Dec. 3, with the holiday moviegoing season far from over. Scott’s first “Gladiator” film grossed $465.5 million worldwide, second only to “The Martian,” his 2015 release, with a $630.6-million gross worldwide. Adjusted for inflation, however, “Gladiator” comes out slightly ahead with $844.5 million globally compared to $841.6 million for “The Martian.”
The remainder of the prolific British director’s top-grossing films skew toward his action offerings, with 2012’s “Prometheus” ranking third, followed by 2001’s “Hannibal.”
“Alien,” a 1979 release that grossed $108.6 million worldwide, moves ahead of “American Gangster” with an adjusted gross of $407 million, while the adjusted tally for 1982 cult classic “Blade Runner” is equivalent to a mere $135.2 million today.