(Photo: NBC)
American Gladiators is returning to the small screen. Prime Video has ordered a reboot of the 1990s sports competition series. This is not the first time that American Gladiators has been revived. A two-season revival debuted on NBC in 2008.
The series features amateur athletes competing against each other and the show’s own “gladiators” in various strength and agility challenges. The streaming service is currently looking for contestants.
Prime Video revealed more about the upcoming series in a press release.
Contenders, ready! Gladiators, ready! Today, Prime Video announced the revival of the epic competition series, American Gladiators, produced by MGM Alternative and Amazon MGM Studios. The series is set to premiere on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
American Gladiators will once again see a team of Gladiators compete against a brave set of Contenders in the ultimate test of speed and strength. The new show will include classics like “Gauntlet,” “Hang Tough,” and the ultimate challenge “The Eliminator,” as well as some brand-new challenges.
“Gladiators is an enduring, physical challenge format that continues to engage families around the world,” said Lauren Anderson, head, Brand and Content Innovation, Amazon MGM Studios. “We look forward to delighting our global Prime Video customers with both reimagined and nostalgic elements that celebrate the best of the original series.”
“Doing a cross-country casting search is exciting for us, and for the fans. Our goal is to find a real cross-section of America’s fittest and fiercest competitors. This is the ultimate in sports entertainment,” said Barry Poznick, general manager MGM Alternative, Evolution Media and Big Fish Entertainment.
American Gladiators first premiered in the United States in 1989 and ran for seven successful seasons until 1996. Originally hosted by Joe Theismann and Mike Adamle, the series featured more than 30 Gladiators during its original run in the U.S. and since then, there have been over 300 superhumans who have donned the coveted Gladiator uniform in franchises around the world including the UK, Australia, Japan, Denmark, South Africa, and more.
The sports entertainment show has also seen great success with international formats of Gladiators gaining in popularity around the world. The premiere of Gladiators UK on January 13, 2024 brought in 6 million viewers and climbed to 9.8 million premiere viewers over 28 days. It was the biggest launch for a new entertainment series on BBC One since 2017 and proved that linear television still satisfies audiences during the age of streaming. Over the course of the season, Gladiators UK held steady with the series averaging 8.3 million viewers. The show continues to provide family friendly content, with viewers under the age of 45 making up 56% of audiences. Gladiators also appealed equally to male and female viewers with overall viewership balancing at 48% male and 52% female. Based on the series’ massive success, it was announced that the physical competition show had been picked up for Season Two.
The premiere date for the American Gladiators revival will be announced later.
What do you think? Have you watched the original series or the NBC revival? Will you watch the new American Gladiators series when it lands on Prime Video?
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