The Top Gladiators Best Movies and TV Shows

Two men enter, and one man leaves! For centuries people have been obsessed with excess violence, and before the invention of screens and films to watch, people would go see it happen live in the arena! We can’t blame them–what better way to blow off some steam than to watch two fighters try to kill each other in a giant colosseum? This list contains the best, new, and most relevant gladiator movies and TV shows ordered and matched by relevance. Do you like gladiator movies and tv shows? The list contains related movies and TV series with gladiators ordered by similarity. We give the arena legends one more opportunity to achieve eternal fame and glory! Are you not entertained?

Common themes include – The roman empire, vengeance, warriors, gladiators, freedom speeches, revenge, fame and glory, gladiator, sword fighter, adventure, betrayal, sword and sandal, warrior films, medieval movies, and TV shows.

List of gladiators in movies and TV shows

Colosseum (Mini-Series 2022)

colosseum gladiators tv show mini series

Genre: Action, Adventure, History Drama, Docudrama, Mini-Series
Country: USA, UK, Malta, Morocco
Episode Duration: 44 min.

HISTORY’s eight-episode series brings to the small screen the story of the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, through the point of view of one of the most exciting and brutal arenas in human history, the Colosseum, where gladiators, flesh and blood warriors, fought each other to the death.
From presenting the brutal truth about the life of a gladiator as a slave-warrior to revealing the variety of fascinating ways in which the Roman emperors used the huge amphitheater to demonstrate their power and absolute control over the people, “Colosseum” unfolds the story of the most iconic empire in history, from a very personal and unique point of view.

Gladiators of the Forge / Forged In Fire (Reality-TV 2022)

Genre: Reality-TV
Country: USA
Season 9, Episode Duration: 42 min.

gladiators of the forge gladiator tv shows

The forge is transformed into a gladiator’s arena; in the opening battle, two smiths must forge a fierce Roman era falx; the winning smith takes on a new opponent for the chance to win the most money ever awarded in the forge: $75,000.

Gladiator (Movie 2000)

Gladiator movies and TV Shows

Genre: Action, Adventure, History Drama
Country: USA, UK, Malta, Morocco
Duration: 155 min.

In the year 180, the death of emperor Marcus Aurelius throws the Roman Empire into chaos. Maximus is one of the Roman army’s most capable and trusted generals and a key advisor to the emperor. As Marcus’s devious son Commodus ascends to the throne, Maximus is set to be executed. He escapes but is captured by slave traders. Renamed Spaniard and forced to become a gladiator, Maximus must battle to the death with other men for the amusement of paying audiences.

Pompeii (Movie 2014)

pompeii gladiator movies and tv shows

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, History, Romance
Country: Canada, Germany, USA, UK
Episodes: 105 min.

79 BC. A slave, belonging to a great tycoon, dreams of freedom. The erupting volcano in Pompeii leaves the city in utter ruin and chaos. The disaster catches the slave while on a ship destined to dock in Naples. He decides to return to the danger zone and save his beloved and best friend.

Gladiators of Rome (Movie 2012)

gladiators of rome gladiator movies and tv shows

Genre: Animated Film, Adventure
Country: Italy, U.K, France
Duration: 92 min.

The young unsuccessful gladiator Timo was adopted by a Roman General and grew up in the most famous academy for gladiators in Rome, but Timo is not a bit of the same material from which gladiators are made. The only thing he wants to do is hang out with his friends and avoid his stepfather’s hard training. When Timo meets the lovely Lucilla, he decides to change his life and become a hero. Through Diana’s terrible spells and training, Timo has to become the greatest gladiator of all time.

Kengan Ashura (Anime Series 2019)

kengan ashura gladiators tv shows and movies

Genre: Anime, Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Country: USA, Japan
Duration: 22 min.

Since the Edo period of Japan, gladiator arenas exist in certain areas. In these arenas, wealthy business owners and merchants hire gladiators to fight in unarmed combat where the winner takes all. Toki Taouma, nicknamed “Ashura,” joins these arenas and devastates his opponents. His spectacular ability to crush his enemies catches the attention of the big business owners, including the Nogi Group chairman, Nogi Hideki.

Rome (TV Show 2005)

rome gladiator tv shows

Genre: Action, Drama, History, Romance, War
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 52 min.

Story: The series primarily chronicles the lives and deeds of the rich, powerful, and historically significant, but it also focuses on the lives, fortunes, families, and acquaintances of two common men: Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo, fictionalized versions of a pair of Roman soldiers mentioned in Caesar’s Commentarii de Bello Gallico. The fictional Vorenus and Pullo manage to witness and often influence many of the historical events presented in the series, although some dramatic license is taken.

Empire (Mini-Series 2005)

gladiator movies and TV Shows: Empire (2005)

Empire (2005) TV Show Mini-Series
Genre: Action, Drama, History
Country: USA
Duration: 360 min.

Epic four-hour series about the rise of Octavius who succeeds Julius Caesar and tangles with Marc Anthony for control of the Roman empire and finally went on to become the emperor Augustus.

Spartacus (Netflix TV Show 2010)

Gladiator movies and TV Shows

Genre: Action, Adventure, Biography, Drama, History, Romance
Country: USA
Episode Duration: 55 min.

Spartacus is an American television series inspired by the historical spartan warrior figure of Spartacus, a Thracian gladiator who from 73 to 71 BCE led a major slave uprising against the Roman Republic.

Spartacus (1960)

Spartacus gladiator movies

Genre: Action, Drama, History, War
Country: USA, Canada, France
Duration: 183 min.

Spartacus is a slave sentenced to death after biting a Roman soldier. A gladiator trader spares his life and recruits him to his team. Thus Spartacus is taken to a school for gladiators and soon becomes the strongest warrior in the arena. He becomes the leader of the slaves and leads the revolt that leads to liberation.

Spartacus and the Ten Gladiators (1964)

spartacus and the ten gladiators gladiator movies and tv shows

Genre: Adventure, History, Action
Country: Italy, France, Spain
Duration: 99 min.

Story: The story of Spartacus and 10 other gladiators who rebelled against the bloody coliseum sports. They escape and are faced at every turn by Roman soldiers bent on taking them back to the Coliseum; dead or alive!

The Invincible Gladiator (1961)

the invincible gladiator gladiator movies and tv shows

Genre: Action Drama
Country: Italy, Spain
Duration: 96 min.

Story: A Roman warrior leads a revolt against an evil ruler. A young, diminutive ruler makes a big decision to unseat a nobleman whose ego has outgrown him. But can the 10-year-old take on such an impressive nemesis?

Gladiators: The Tournament of the Seven Wonders (Cartoon Series)

gladiators the tournament of the seven wonder gladiator movies and tv shows

Genre: Cartoon, Adventure, Action
Country: Italy, U.K, France
Episodes: 24 min.

Amid the glamour of imperial Rome during the time of Caesar Adrian, by then old and feeble, the struggle to arrogate his power intensifies. Nothing suspicious can be seen in the public light, and nothing seems as though it could ever hinder Rome’s power. All while terrible plots unfold in the shadows of the thick of the lair is Canidia, the evil priestess of the god Anubis, along with her ever-faithful Catilius, who has gained the Emperor’s trust and wishes to marry into the imperial family in order to become the likely successor to the throne. Though not before getting rid of Marcus, grandson of Adrian and Rome is their only hope. If Antonino fails to buy time in announcing a conciliatory Gladiator tournament, Catilius will marry Domizia, Marcus’ mother.

The Eagle (Movie 2011)

Gladiator movies and TV Shows the eagle 2011

Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, History, War
Country: UK, USA
Duration: 114 min.

Under the command of Flavius Aquila in A.D. 120, Rome’s Ninth Legion marches north carrying its revered eagle emblem and vanishing into the mists. Rumors of the legion’s golden eagle appearing in a tribal temple reach Marcus Aquila (Channing Tatum), Flavius’ son, 20 years later. Accompanied by his slave (Jamie Bell), Marcus makes a dangerous journey to Scotland to retrieve the hallowed eagle and, in doing so, restore his father’s tarnished honor.

Gladiators (ITV Game Show 1992)

gladiatior tv show reality

Genre: Reality, TV Show, Documentary, Sports
Country: USA, Australia
Duration: 106 min.

Gladiators is a British television sports entertainment game show. An adaptation of the American program and its format, American Gladiators, was produced by LWT for ITV from 10 October 1992 to 1 January 2000, with a revival made for Sky 1 between 2008 and 2009.

Running Man (Movie 1987)

running man gladiator movies

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, Canada, France
Duration: 123 min.

In the year 2019, America is a totalitarian state where the favorite television program is “The Running Man” — a game show in which prisoners must run to freedom to avoid a brutal death. Having been made a scapegoat by the government, and imprisoned Ben Richards (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has the opportunity to make it back to the outside again by being a contestant on the deadly show, although the twisted host, Damon Killian (Richard Dawson), has no intention of letting him escape.

30 for 30 ESPN – American Gladiators (Documentary 2022)

Genre: Reality, TV Show, Documentary, Sports
Country: USA, Australia
Duration: 106 min.

Gladiator movies and TV Shows: 30 for 30

A documentary about American Gladiators, widely considered one of the first reality competition series.
The documentary covers the action-packed competition series that was massively popular during its original seven-season run between 1989 and 1996. It features many of the larger-than-life former Gladiators, as well as Johnny Ferraro, who has been referred to as ‘the Godfather of reality television.

Squid Game (Netflix TV Show 2021)

Genre: Horror, Action, Death Game
Country: Korea
Duration: 48 min

Gladiator movies and TV Shows

456 desperate people are invited to a secret and secure compound to take part in a Hunger Games-style gladiator arena. The winner will cash out with an amount equal to 39 million USD. The rules are simple: The contenders play a sequence of classic children’s games (marbles, pulling a rope, salted fish), but with a deadly twist – whoever is disqualified pays with his life.

John Carter (Movie 2012)

John Carter gladiator movies

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 132 min.

John Carter is a war-weary, former military captain who’s inexplicably transported to the mysterious and exotic planet of Barsoom (Mars) and reluctantly becomes embroiled in an epic conflict. It’s a world on the brink of collapse, and Carter rediscovers his humanity when he realizes the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands.

Clash Of The Titans (Movie 2010)

Gladiator movies and TV Shows, Clash of titans

Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi
Country: USA, Australia
Duration: 106 min.

Story: Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus is helpless to save his family from Hades, the vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus and unleash hell on earth. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, Perseus and his warriors will only survive if Perseus accepts his power as a god, defies fate, and creates his own destiny.

See relevant: 8 Best Movies like Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Thor Ragnarok (Movie 2017)

Gladiator

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Country: USA, UK, Australia
Duration: 130 min.

Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus is helpless to save his family from Hades, the vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus and unleash hell on earth. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, Perseus and his warriors will only survive if Perseus accepts his power as a god, defies fate, and creates his own destiny.

See also: 8 Best Movies like Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Guns Akimbo (Movie 2019)

Gladiator movies and TV Shows: guns akimbo

Genre: Action, Comedy, Thriller
Country: Germany, New Zealand, UK
Duration: 98 min.

Daniel Radcliffe woke up with guns instead of hands, now he needs to rely on his newly-acquired gladiator skills to save his ex-girlfriend from dangerous kidnappers.

Planet Hulk (Movie 2010)

Gladiator

Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Animation, Comics
Country: USA
Duration: 81 min.

Story: Big, green, and angry, strongman Hulk (Rick D. Wasserman) is a passenger on a space shuttle that crash-lands on the planet Sakaar. The planet is ruled by the evil Red King (Mark Hildreth), who enjoys pitting warriors against each other in a large arena. Against his usual instincts, Hulk starts to bond with his fellow warriors. Recognizing their combined strength, they band together to defeat their tyrannical captor. However, they are vastly outnumbered and underequipped.

Hercules (Movie 2014)

hercules gladiator movies

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Country: USA, Hungary
Duration: 98 min.

Though he is famous across the ancient world for his larger-than-life exploits, Hercules (Dwayne Johnson), the son of Zeus and a human woman, is haunted by his tragic past. Now, he fights only for gold as a traveling mercenary, accompanied by a band of loyal followers, including Amphiarus (Ian McShane) and Autolycus. However, when the benevolent ruler of Thrace and his daughter seek his help in defeating a savage warlord, Hercules must find the true hero within himself once again.

Rick and Morty (Season 3, Episode 2 “Rickmancing the Stone” Netflix)

rick and morty gladiator episode

Genre: Animated series, Adventure, Sci-fi, Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min.

Rick, Morty, and Summer travel to a Mad Max-style universe where Rick seeks to steal a green crystal from a group of scavengers.

Alita: Battle Angel (Movie 2019)

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, Japan, Canada
Duration: 122 min.

Story: Set several centuries in the future, the abandoned Alita is found in the scrapyard of Iron City by Ido, a compassionate cyber-doctor who takes the unconscious cyborg Alita to his clinic. When Alita awakens, she has no memory of who she is, nor does she have any recognition of the world she finds herself in. As Alita learns to navigate her new life and the treacherous streets of Iron City, Ido tries to shield her from her mysterious past. One of the central themes in the movie is the violent, spectator sport Motorball. A popular game is a gladiatorial race akin to a roller derby crossed with the robot-fighting competition Battle Bots, with often lethal consequences.

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (Movie 1985)

Genre: Animated series, Adventure, Sci-fi, Comedy
Country: USA
Duration: 22 min.

Story: Haunted by his turbulent past, Mad Max believes the best way to survive is to wander alone. Nevertheless, he becomes swept up with a group fleeing across the Wasteland in a War Rig driven by an elite Imperator, Furiosa. They are escaping a Citadel tyrannized by the Immortan Joe, from whom something irreplaceable has been taken. Enraged, the Warlord marshals all his gangs and pursues the rebels ruthlessly in the high-octane Road War that follows.

Tron: Legacy (Movie 2010)

tron gladiator movies

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Country: USA
Duration: 125 min.

Story: Sam (Garrett Hedlund), the son of famous video-game developer Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), has been haunted for a long time by his father’s mysterious disappearance. A strange signal draws Sam to Flynn’s Arcade, and he is pulled into the same cyberworld in which his father, its creator, has been trapped for 20 years. With fearless warrior Quorra (Olivia Wilde), Kevin and Sam seek to escape from a universe that, while magnificent, is far more advanced and dangerous than Kevin had ever imagined.

The Maze Runner (TV Show 2014)

the maze runner gladiator movies
the maze runner 2014

Genre: Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, UK
Duration: 113 min.

Thomas (Dylan O’Brien), a teenager, arrives in a glade at the center of a giant labyrinth. Like the other youths dumped there before him, he has no memory of his previous life. Thomas quickly becomes part of the group and soon after demonstrates a unique perspective that scores him a promotion to Runner status — those who patrol the always-changing maze to find an escape route. Together with Teresa (Kaya Scodelario), the only female, Thomas tries to convince his cohorts that he knows a way out.

The Hunger Games (Movie 2012)

hunger games gladiator movies

Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Country: USA, Canada, France
Duration: 123 min.

Story: Katniss Everdeen voluntarily takes her younger sister’s place in The Hunger Games: a televised competition in which two teenagers from each of the twelve Districts of Panem are chosen at random to fight to the death.

Conan the Barbarian (Movie 2011)

Gladiator movies and TV Shows: Conan the Barbarian (2011)

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Country: USA, Bulgaria, Germany, India
Duration: 113 min.

A quest that begins as a personal vendetta for the fierce Cimmerian warrior soon turns into an epic battle against hulking rivals, horrific monsters, and impossible odds, as Conan (Jason Momoa) realizes he is the only hope of saving the great nations of Hyboria from an encroaching reign of supernatural evil.

Conan The Destroyer (Movie 1984)

gladiator movies

Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Country: USA, Mexico
Duration: 103 min.

In his second sword and sorcery cinematic adventure, the mighty warrior Conan (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is tricked into working for the scheming Queen Taramis (Sarah Douglas). Along with finding a mystical horn, Conan and his allies, which include the fierce sword fighter, Zula (Grace Jones), and the wisecracking sorcerer, Akiro (Mako), must protect the beautiful young Princess Jehnna (Olivia d’Abo). With deception and danger at every turn, Conan has to use all of his power to defeat the evil foes that stand in his way.

Asterix vs Caesar (Animated Film 1985)

Asterix and Caesar gladiator movies
Asterix and Caesar (1985)

Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy
Country: France
Duration: 79 min.

Story: Asterix and Obelix travel to Rome to rescue two lovers who were kidnapped from their village. It’s an adventure that involves gladiators, slave traders, and Emperor Casar himself.

See relevant: Top 12+ Best Vikings Movies: Ranked

See also: Top 12+ Best Vikings Movies: Ranked

Cestvs: The Roman Fighter (Anime Series 2021)

cestvs the roman fighter gladiator movies and tv shows

Genre: Adventure, Action, Anime
Country: Japan
Episodes: 11 min.

Story: In the year 54 AD, 15-year-old slave fighter Cestvs desires one thing—an escape from his violent life. It is the wish Cestvs’ owner has promised to grant him, but only after he wins 100 battles. However, Cestvs quickly comes to terms with the fact that, as a slave, his life is expendable. After the death of his friend, the possibility of freedom is the only thing keeping him going. With a burning ambition to attain it, Cestvs embarks on a journey to earn himself back, even if it means fighting other slaves for the entertainment of the public.

Gladiator Faceoff: Jailbreak!

Maximus, or Spartacus?

You and the other gladiators are done being held captive against your will! Who do you choose to lead your escape?

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Gladiator Faceoff: Put ’em up!

John Carter, or Thor Ragnarok?

These juggernauts have been stripped of all abilities aside from their strength. Who wins in a bare-knuckle brawl?

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Gladiator Faceoff: Recruit!

Planet Hulk, or Hercules?

You’re building an army and can choose one of these glorious gladiators to remove from the arena and recruit. Who do you enlist?

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Gladiator Faceoff: Just plain embarassing

Gladiator Morty, or Blaster?

If you’re going to go down, you could do better than being bested by either of these awkward contestants. Who is it more of a bummer to be killed by?

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Gladiator Faceoff: Hunting season

Sam Flynn, or Buzzsaw?

You’ve tricked that kid you hate into an endless maze! And you have one more surprise for him. Who do you choose to hunt him throughout the maze?

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Having studied scriptwriting in London, I subsequently worked on a number of film sets. I write about pop culture trends, films, and tv series on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and Hulu.