The 2000 epic starring Russell Crowe as Roman general Maximus that won Best Picture is Gladiator.
Directed by Ridley Scott, Gladiator follows Maximus Decimus Meridius after Emperor Marcus Aurelius’s son, Commodus, betrays him and murders his family. Forced into slavery, Maximus becomes a gladiator and seeks revenge in the Roman arena.
The film was inspired in part by Daniel P. Mannix’s 1958 novel Those About to Die. Its production included several script rewrites, and actor Oliver Reed died before filming was completed; digital effects were used to finish his scenes.
Gladiator won five Academy Awards at the 73rd ceremony, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Russell Crowe. A common mix-up is confusing it with Troy or Spartacus, but neither won Best Picture. Its 2024 sequel is titled Gladiator II.