From Blade Runner to Alien, Alien franchise eventually became a multi-billion dollar series, which is still developing content through movies like this year's Alien: Romulus and the FX series Alien: Earth. Alien and Blade Runner also became massively influential on other works within the genre.
However, Scott's filmography is far more expansive than just sci-fi. Rather, Scott has also directed several historical epic films, many of which chronicle real events or take their inspiration from history. Last year, this manifested in the Joaquin Phoenix-led biopic Napoleon, whose technical prowess was recognized through Oscar nominations. This year, Scott directed Gladiator II, a sequel to his 2000 Oscar-winning film. The epic sequel has leveraged a high production value and stellar cast to receive solid reviews, but the film's box office has helped Scott along with a new record.
Gladiator II's Box Office Has Made Ridley Scott A Top 10 Director At The Box Office
Scott Beats Out Robert Zemeckis
Gladiator II's box office made Scott into a record-breaker. The epic sequel opened in domestic theaters this past weekend while competing against Wicked in a phenomenon known as "Glicked." However, just two weeks before the US release, the film began showing across multiple international markets, allowing it to rack up some overseas momentum. These combined totals put Gladiator II's overall haul at over $220 million. This total puts the film in the top 20 at the worldwide box office. It is also on track to become the highest-grossing film in Denzel Washington's prolific career.
Gladiator 2: All 13 References To Maximus & Gladiator Callbacks Explained
Gladiator 2 is filled with callbacks and easter eggs relating to Maximus and the original movie. Here's everything we noticed from the 2024 sequel.
Per The Numbers, Gladiator II's box office has now catapulted Scott to become one of the top 10 highest-grossing directors of all time. The sequel's $220 million haul puts his lifetime gross at an impressive $4.8 billion worldwide. Currently sitting in the no. 10 slot, he beats out J.J. Abrams and Robert Zemeckis for this spot. The director also sits less than $100 million below Tim Burton. The top-grossing director of all time remains Steven Spielberg, followed by Avatar extraordinaire James Cameron.
Our Take On Ridley Scott's New Record
Scott Has Impressive Variety In His Career
Not only has Scott achieved this record, but he is almost certain to Burton by the end of Gladiator II's run. What's fascinating about his box office history is that his major sci-fi franchise credits did not get him this far. Rather, his top two movies at the time of writing are the space novel adaptation The Martian and his Oscar-winning movie Gladiator. This shows that Scott is dominant beyond just his franchise affiliations.
Source: The Numbers
- Birthdate
- November 30, 1937
- Birthplace
- South Shields, County Durham, England
- Notable Projects
- Gladiator, Alien
- Professions
- Film Director, Producer
- Height
- 5 feet 8 inches
Discover the latest news and filmography for Ridley Scott, known for Gladiator and Blade Runner.
