Gladiator (2000) is an epic historical drama film directed by Ridley Scott and written by David Franzoni, John Logan, and William Nicholson from a story by Franzoni. It stars Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed andRichard Harris. Crowe portrays Maximus Decimus Meridius, a Roman general who is betrayed when Commodus, the ambitious son of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, murders his father and seizes the throne. Reduced to slavery, Maximus becomes a gladiator and rises through the ranks of the arena, determined to avenge the murders of his family and the emperor.

The screenplay, initially written by Franzoni, was inspired by the 1958 Daniel P. Mannix novel Those About to Die. Production was complicated by the script being rewritten multiple times and by the death of Oliver Reed before production was finished.

Gladiator had its world premiere in Los Angeles, California, on May 1, 2000. The film grossed $465 million worldwide, becoming the second-highest-grossing film of 2000, and won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Crowe. It received favorable reviews upon release, and is considered one of the best and most influential films of the 21st century. A sequel, Gladiator II, was released in November 2024.