Ridley Scott's $218 Million Historical Masterpiece: Streaming on Prime Video This November!

The illustrious Ridley Scott, an iconic figure in Hollywood, is poised to grace the screens once more this November with his much-anticipated film, Gladiator II. But before we don our sandals and tunics for the sequel, why not take a delightful detour down memory lane with one of Scott's more understated historical epics? Yes, folks, Kingdom of Heaven is making its streaming debut on Prime Video come November 1, ready to charm—or perhaps confuse— viewers once again.

As the film finds itself a new online home, it's just a hop, skip, and jump away from the release of Gladiator II in theaters internationally. Think of it as a warm-up act before the grand performance—because who doesn’t want to get into the mood for clashes of swords and high-stakes drama?

Originally released by 20th Century Fox in 2005, five years after the original Gladiator made waves, Kingdom of Heaven is a star-studded affair featuring Orlando Bloom, Brendan Gleeson, Liam Neeson, Eva Green, Edward Norton, and Jeremy Irons. Set in the sumptuous backdrop of medieval France, the film spins a largely fictitious yarn surrounding the events leading up to the Third Crusade. At its heart is Bloom’s character, Balian of Ibelin, valiantly defending the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem from the formidable Ayyubid Sultan, Saladin, played by Ghassan Massoud.

However, let's not sugarcoat things—Kingdom of Heaven didn't exactly soar to heavenly heights at the box office or with critics. Holding a rather disappointing 40% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it has often been praised for its ambition yet criticized for its storyline and historical liberties. Sound familiar? This is a trend Scott seems to face more than once, recently echoed in critiques of his latest project, Napoleon.

With a worldwide gross of $218 million—against a budget of $130 million—the film achieved modest success, but one might say it was less than divine intervention. Scott did later release a director's cut, which many hail as the film’s true calling—a version worth revisiting for those seeking a deeper dive into the narrative waters.

Meanwhile, Scott is busy drumming up excitement for Gladiator II, a much-touted follow-up to a film that snagged the Oscar for Best Picture and is a hallmark of the sword-and-sandal genre. In this sequel, we’re introduced to Paul Mescal as Lucius Verus, the son of Lucilla, who encounters a series of unfortunate events that hurl him from the comforts of family life in Numidia into the unforgiving hands of the Roman Army—and ultimately, into the gladiatorial arena, channeling his inner Maximus Decimus Meridius.

This promising sequel, replete with a star-studded cast including Denzel Washington and Pedro Pascal, is already generating rave early reviews. In a fit of ambition, Scott has even declared it “the best thing I’ve ever made.” Now that’s a claim to note. And if that weren't enough to excite us, whispers of a potential threequel have surfaced—a tantalizing prospect for those who can’t get enough of historical drama and epic showdowns.

While we await our return to the world of gladiators, let's drum up excitement for all the projects Scott has in the works—three new series under his production company Scott Free, featuring intriguing titles like Modville, Hyde, and Nick. So, grab your popcorn, take a seat, and prepare for a dose of Ridley Scott magic, both old and new.