In the year 180, the death of emperor Marcus Aurelius throws the Roman Empire into chaos. Maximus is one of the Roman army's most capable and trusted generals and a key advisor to the emperor. As Marcus' devious son Commodus ascends to the throne, Maximus is set to be executed. He escapes, but is captured by slave traders. Renamed Spaniard and forced to become a gladiator, Maximus must battle to the death with other men for the amusement of paying audiences.
This movie contains 47 potentially triggering events.
Maximus’ wolf dog survives the opening battle and is not seen after that. I read that originally the dog was to be killed in Commodus’ takeover, but, thankfully, that notion was dropped
Its not shown on screen but the main characters wife is sexually assaulted by soldiers before they kill her, its described to the main character later.
The antagonist also attempts to force his sister into a sexual relationship, saying he will kill her child if she refuses.
When Maximus goes home to find his family dead and his farm burned you see the feet of two people (they are crucified not hanged but the imagery is very suggestive of other hanging scenes). Also at the end of the movie his servant Cicero is hanged from a tree
The main character’s child is killed, and it is frequently brought up throughout the movie. All that is shown is the son being trampled by horses, and in a later scene, his burned feet. We learn that he has been burned and crucified, and the main character’s reaction is upsetting. In addition, the screams of the son as he died are described, but not heard.
later in the movie when the main character is forced to become a gladiator he starts to cut part of his arm where a symbol is tattooed in an attempt to remove it