One of the biggest shows of the summer comes out in just a few days: Those About to Die lands in its entirety on Thursday, July 18 and if you're excited for the show, you might want to spend the weekend streaming other similar shows and movies.
Those About to Die is an action drama set amongst the brutal gladiatorial world of the Roman Empire. Our cast of characters runs the gamut from trained fighters to pit bosses, gamblers, slaves and even the emperor himself.
There have been other Roman Empire movies and shows in the past, but which of them are available to watch on streaming services this weekend, so you can get your fix? I've found a short list of some of the best, to make sure you have something to watch.
I'm only going to list movies and TV shows that are streaming in the US and UK, which is why you won't see some classics like Ben-Hur which isn't on any streaming services.
Gladiator
- US: Prime Video and Paramount Plus
- UK: Prime Video, Netflix, Sky TV and Now
You had to know this one was going to be on the list, which is why I'm getting it out of the way early. Gladiator is one of the most famous Roman empire movies of all time, and a classic in its own right, with a sequel called Gladiator 2 coming later this year.
This 2000s movie is about a Roman general (played by Russell Crowe) who's imprisoned and sent to become a gladiator. His quest to win his freedom and avenge his family puts him against upstart emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) who's got no qualms against playing dirty.
As you can tell from that synopsis, this is a movie all about the gladiatorial combat arenas, just as Those About to Die is. It's one man's journey through the fighting system, which will get you in the mood for it so that the new show can explore it in better detail.
Roman Empire
Changing pace now, Roman Empire is a Netflix docuseries which portrays historical fact through lots of dramatic re-creations, perfect for fans of Roman history.
There are three seasons of the show and each looks at a different story from Roman history; the first is the most relevant to this article because it's about Commodus (yes, the one from Gladiator above) and the final episode is set in the Colosseum.
For a more fact-based way to enjoy Roman history ahead of Those About to Die, Roman Empire will give you a great grounding for the context of the world ahead of the show's debut.
Rome
- US: Max
- UK: Not streaming
This award-winning two-season TV show follows two soldiers (Ray Stevenson and Kevin McKidd) during a pivotal time in Roman history, as they witness many important events and meet many famous figures.
Rome was a huge hit when it came out in 2005 and people have been asking for more for years. Its large cast, which also included Ciarán Hinds, James Purefoy, Kerry Condon, Tobias Menzies and Indira Varma, helps you get a great sense of the history of Rome through a narrative framing.
This TV show takes place before any of the others on this list, so it'll show a different Rome to Those About to Die (first and foremost, Rome was stull a republic when it starts!). But if you want another Roman drama series to watch, this one is a great pick and it's already all out.
The Eagle
- US: Netflix
- UK: Not streaming
One of my personal favorite movies set in the Roman empire is The Eagle, which is set 70 years after Those About to Die.
The Eagle stars Channing Tatum as a new officer who travels to the highlands of Scotland in order to retrieve the Eagle of the Ninth, the standard of his father's missing legion. The loss of it has brought shame on his family, so the young man teams up with a local (Jamie Bell) to venture into the untamed wilds.
The movie is a fun Roman action-adventure, even if it wasn't that popular among critics, and if you've already seen the above suggests it'll be a nice alternative movie to watch this weekend.
Life of Brian
I'll end this list with the most wild-card option from the list, mainly because it's a comedy instead of the more dramatic options above.
Classic Monty Python movie Life of Brian is set in the Roman empire, hence the link, although earlier than Those About to Die. It gives a comedy spin on the story of Jesus, although with quite a lot of liberties taken, and has the most classic Monty Python song of all time at its conclusion.
If you think Those About to Die will be quite gloomy and you want something brighter before you get stuck into the Roman bloodbath, this option might work.
