“Gladiator II” Makes N99.1M, Becomes Second-Biggest Opening of 2024 in Nigeria

Gladiator II, the much-awaited sequel to Ridley Scott’s 2000 film, has made a big splash at the Nigerian box office, earning N99.1 million in its opening weekend.

This impressive debut is the second-highest of the year, showing the film’s strong popularity in Nigeria.

Before its weekend release, the film earned N8.13 million on Wednesday and N8.96 million on Thursday, according to Nigerian Box Office data.

The film’s success continued over the weekend, grossing N82.05 million from Friday to Sunday.

This great start places Gladiator II among the top openings in Nigeria in 2024. The film, starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Denzel Washington, follows the story of Lucius, the nephew of Maximus from the original Gladiator, as it delves into themes of revenge and redemption in ancient Rome.

The film has also performed well internationally, grossing around $87 million overseas, making it the highest international opening for any Ridley Scott film.

In Nigeria, the film had a strong showing in advanced screenings, earning N17 million before its official release.

On its opening Thursday, Gladiator II made N8.1 million, beating the N7.8 million earned by Deadpool & Wolverine during their advanced screenings. This suggests the film will continue to do well in Nigerian cinemas.

However, despite this early success, Gladiator II faces a big financial challenge globally. With a production budget of $250 million, it is one of the most expensive historical films ever made.

Experts say the film will need to make over $600 million worldwide to cover its costs, including marketing and distribution.

Early projections suggest the film will earn between $58 million and $72 million in its opening weekend in the U.S., which is a good start, but not enough to break even.