Gladiator

Maximus is a powerful general, yet loved by the people of Rome.  The aging Emperor, Marcus Aurelius, also loved him.  He chooses Maximus to be his heir over his own son, Commodus, so that rule might pass from the Caezar back to the people and the Senate.  Marcus' power-hungry son has other ideas, however.  Commodus murdered his father and seizes the throne.

Escaping an ordered execution, Maximus hurries back to his home in Spain, too late to save his wife and son from the same order. Taken into slavery and trained as a gladiator by Proximo, Maximus lives only so that he might someday take his revenge and fulfill the dying wish of his emperor. The time soon comes when Proximo's troupe is called to Rome to participate in a marathon of gladiator games held at the behest of the new emperor, Commodus. Once in Rome, Maximus wastes no time in making his presence known, and is soon involved in a plot to overthrow the emperor with his former love Lucilla, Commodus' sister, after whom he lusts, and also the widowed mother of Lucius, heir to the empire after his uncle, and democratic-minded senator, Gracchus.

Released in the United States on May 5, 2000, the movie was a box office success, receiving generally positive reviews, and was credited with briefly reviving the historical epic. The film was nominated for and won multiple awards; it won five Academy Awards in the 73rd Academy Awards including Best Picture. Although there have been talks of both a prequel and sequel, as of this posting, no production has begun.

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