We’re Getting A New American Gladiators Reboot, & It Sounds As Unhinged As The OG
The Wall is back, baby.
If you’re a millennial of a certain age (guilty as charged), the words “American Gladiators” probably trigger a flood of very specific core memories: neon spandex, foam pugil sticks, and — oh, you know — the unhinged joy of watching regular people get steamrolled by human tanks named Nitro and Zap. And now, those glory days are coming back because Prime Video is rebooting the beloved ‘90s competition series.
While there was a short-lived revival back in the early aughts, many of us were out there in the world, too busy making questionable decisions and wearing bubble necklaces and business-casual skirts to bars, to actually tune in. Fortunately for us, Prime Video is turning that missed opportunity into a second chance. Or third, as it were.
So, here’s everything you need to know about this nostalgic reboot, including the just-announced premiere date.
When does the American Gladiators reboot come out?
On March 18, Prime Video revealed that American Gladiators will premiere on April 17. It's getting a rollout very much in keeping with the streaming era we're in now: three episodes to cut our teeth on, followed by two more weekly drops until the 10-episode season concludes on May 1.
How will it work?
If you tuned into the original American Gladiators for the pure spectacle of it all, it sounds like you won’t be disappointed. The premise hasn’t changed much (thankfully). Everyday contenders will enter the Arena to face off against 16 brand-new Gladiators. You know the types — strong, fast, intimidating.
And, yes, the activities are just as badass as they were back in the day. Fan favorites like Joust, Hang Tough, and The Wall are all making a comeback, alongside new challenges like The Ring and Collision, which kind of sound like they were specifically designed to be even more intense (and, dare we say, more GIF-able… millennials love GIFs).
The format is pretty much the same. If a contestant can outlast the Gladiators, they could walk away with a cool $100k and bragging rights as the American Gladiator Champion.
What was the OG series like?
I distinctly remember watching American Gladiators when I was little, crowded around our old box TV with my brother and sister, cheering for both the contestants and our favorite gladiators. It was an experience.
The original series, which debuted in 1989, gave at-home athletes an opportunity to face off against larger-than-life characters and come out on the other side feeling like heroes. It had lightning-in-a-bottle energy, which really begs the question: Can Prime Video thread that needle? Can they keep the over-the-top fun while updating it for a modern, arguably more fickle, audience?
Judging by the details released so far, it feels like they're definitely going to honor the classics while also upping the intensity a notch.
Which, hey, that's the best we could hope for. American Gladiators, at its core, has always been about watching regular people step up for a chance at greatness. They throw their all at it and, sure, sometimes they get absolutely launched, full-send, across the arena in the process or slammed in the throat with a tennis ball shot out of what's essentially a Nerf Gun cannon.
I mean, if that isn't peak entertainment, I don't know what is.
