Where to Watch Those About to Die — Streaming the $140 Million Gladiator Drama in the UAE

Quick Answer: Those About to Die is streaming now on StarzPlay in the UAE. All 10 episodes are available to binge. Subscription costs AED 40/month with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers.

Roland Emmerich spent $140 million recreating ancient Rome so Anthony Hopkins could sit on a throne and look disappointed in his sons. Honestly? That’s a pitch I can respect. Those About to Die is a big-budget gladiator drama that launched in mid-2024, and if you’re in the UAE, it’s been sitting on StarzPlay. Here’s everything you need to know.

Where to Watch Those About to Die in the UAE

Those About to Die streams on StarzPlay in the UAE. The show originally aired on Peacock in the US, but Peacock isn’t available in this region — StarzPlay holds the regional streaming rights.

If you’re a du or etisalat subscriber, you can add StarzPlay directly to your mobile bill — no credit card required. It’s also available as an add-on channel through Apple TV and select smart TV platforms.

Is Those About to Die Free to Watch?

New StarzPlay subscribers get a 7-day free trial. Ten episodes averaging about an hour each — you’d need to commit to a proper binge to finish within the trial window, but it’s technically possible if you’re dedicated enough.

After the trial, StarzPlay runs AED 40/month. You can also pick up multi-month subscription codes from retailers like Virgin Megastore and Geekay for a slight discount on the per-month rate.

What Is Those About to Die About?

Set in 79 AD Rome, Those About to Die follows an ensemble cast navigating the corrupt, spectacle-driven world of gladiatorial combat and chariot racing. Think Game of Thrones meets Gladiator, but with more chariot crashes and fewer dragons.

Emperor Vespasian (Anthony Hopkins) is ageing, his sons Titus and Domitian are jockeying for the throne, and the only thing keeping the Roman masses from rioting is entertainment — specifically, the kind where people die horribly in front of cheering crowds. Meanwhile, the criminal underworld boss Tenax (Iwan Rheon, a.k.a. Ramsay Bolton from Game of Thrones) is scheming his way up the social ladder through the racing factions, and a woman named Cala has travelled to Rome to rescue her children from slavery and the arena.

The show is based on Daniel P. Mannix’s nonfiction book of the same name, which is essentially a historical deep-dive into how ancient Rome monetised death as entertainment. Light reading.

Those About to Die Official Trailer

How Many Episodes Does Those About to Die Have?

Those About to Die Season 1 has 10 episodes, all available to stream right now. Each episode runs approximately 45–60 minutes, putting the full season at roughly 8–10 hours of viewing.

Roland Emmerich directed episodes 1, 2, 3, 9, and 10, while Marco Kreuzpaintner handled episodes 4 through 8. Robert Rodat (the writer behind Saving Private Ryan) created and wrote the series.

Will There Be a Those About to Die Season 2?

Season 2 has not been officially renewed as of March 2026. However, director Roland Emmerich has spoken openly about plans for a second season, describing the show as a planned trilogy. He’s mentioned wanting to adopt a Godfather Part II approach — using dual timelines to explore both the past and future of the characters.

The show ranked number 6 on Nielsen’s streaming charts with 399 million minutes viewed, and it was the top-performing Peacock show on Parrot Analytics for the year. Whether that’s enough to justify the $140 million production budget for a renewal is another question entirely.

Those About to Die Cast

Fun fact: Iwan Rheon (Tenax) is basically playing a Roman version of Ramsay Bolton, and honestly, the range isn’t that wide — but the man was born to play scheming villains in period dramas. Anthony Hopkins brings gravitas to what could have been a pure spectacle show, and his scenes with Tom Hughes and Jojo Macari as the feuding brothers give the political storyline real weight.

Is Those About to Die Kid-Friendly?

Absolutely not. This one earns its TV-MA rating several times over.

Those About to Die features graphic violence throughout — gladiatorial combat, chariot racing injuries, battle sequences, and executions. There is explicit sexual content and nudity. Language is strong. Themes include slavery, political manipulation, and murder. If the title didn’t give it away, people die violently and frequently.

Recommended for ages 18+ only. This is not one for family movie night, regardless of how much your teenager loved Gladiator.

More from tbreak

More streaming guides and entertainment coverage from the UAE:

• Latest entertainment coverage — streaming guides, reviews, and more
• What to Watch This Week — tbreak’s full streaming guide index

Last verified: March 4, 2026. Streaming availability can change — I’ll update this guide if anything shifts.

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