Diese aus 2 DVDs bestehende Special Edition eines der besten Monumentalfilme Hollywoods zeigt die vollständig restaurierte und um geschnittene Szenen erweiterte Version der Original-Kinofassung von 1960. Das Bonusmaterial enthält neben unveröffentlichten Szenen auch weiteres seltenes Material, wie etwa "Hinter den Kulissen".
Mit überwältigenden Bildern und imposanten Kampfszenen inszenierte Stanley Kubrick die Geschichte des rebellischen Gladiators Spartacus ('Kirk Douglas'), der einen Sklavenaufstand gegen das dekadente Römische Reich anführt, und von der Sklavin Varinia ('Jean Simmons'), die ihn liebt und an seine Sache glaubt.
Mit dem Thema der unendlichen Sehnsucht der Menschen nach Freiheit und Selbstbestimmung entstand ein einzigartiger und Maßstäbe setzender Monumentalfilm, der auf beeindruckende Weise Historie mit mitreißenden Emotionen und Action verbindet.
| Laurence Olivier | Crassus |
| Jean Simmons | Varinia |
| Charles Laughton | Gracchus |
| Peter Ustinov | Batiatus |
| John Gavin | Julius Caesar |
| Nina Foch | Helena |
| John Ireland | Crixus |
| Herbert Lom | Levantus |
| John Dall | Glabrus |
| Charles McGraw | Marcellus |
| Joanna Barnes | Claudia |
| Harold Stone | David (Jewish gladiator) (as Harold J. Stone) |
| Harold J. Stone | David |
| Woody Strode | Draba |
| Peter Brocco | Ramon |
| Paul Lambert | Gannicus |
| Robert J. Wilke | Guard captain |
| Nicholas Dennis | Dionysius |
| Nick Dennis | Dionysius |
| John Hoyt | Caius |
| Frederick Worlock | Laelius |
| Tony Curtis | Antoninus |
| Arthur Batanides | Legionaire |
| Kirk Douglas | Executive Producer |
| Buff Brady | Soldier |
| Russell Metty | Director of Photography |
| Rudy Bukich | Gladiator |
| Robert Lawrence | Film Editor |
| Alex North | Composer |
| Bob Burns | Pirate |
| Paul E. Burns | Fimbria |
| Waldon O. Watson | sound |
| Joe Canutt | Soldier |
| Joe Lapis | sound |
| Murray Spivack | sound |
| Tap Canutt | Soldier |
| Ronald Pierce | sound |
| Al Carmichael | Gladiator |
| Chuck Courtney | Soldier |
| Alexander Golitzen | Production Designer |
| Eric Orbom | Art Director |
| Dick Crockett | Guard |
| Sir Laurence Olivier | |
| Terrence De Marney | Majordomo |
| Johnny Duncan | Beheaded man |
| Roy Engel | Roman Businessman (uncredited) |
| Richard Farnsworth | Salt Mine Slave / Gladiator / Slave General (uncredited) |
| Paul Frees | |
| Seamon Glass | Pirate |
| Harold Goodwin | Slave |
| Sol Gorss | Slave leader |
| James Griffith | Otho |
| Harry Harvey Jr. | Slave |
| Joe Haworth | Marius |
| Vinton Haworth | Metallius |
| Chuck Hayward | Soldier |
| Hallene Hill | Beggar Woman |
| Anthony Hopkins | Marcus Crassus (restoration voice) |
| Charles Horvath | Slave leader |
| Jil Jarmyn | Julia |
| Valley Keene | Soldier |
| Aron Kincaid | Crassus Bearer |
| Stubby Kruger | Pirate |
| Carey Loftin | Guard |
| Dayton Lummis | Symmachus |
| Cliff Lyons | Soldier |
| Bob Morgan | Gladiator |
| Boyd 'Red' Morgan | Bit |
| Eddie Parker | Slave |
| Harvey Parry | Guard |
| Regis Parton | Gladiator |
| Leonard Penn | Garrison officer |
| Gil Perkins | Slave leader |
| Chuck Roberson | Slave |
| George Robotham | Pirate |
| Autumn Russell | Slave Girl |
| Russell Saunders | Soldier |
| Charles Schaeffer | Soldier |
| Jim Sears | Gladiator |
| Tom Steele | Gladiator |
| Robert Stevenson | Legionaire |
| Jo Summers | Slave Girl |
| Ken Terrell | Bit |
| Dale Van Sickel | Trainer |
| Carleton Young | Herald |
| Irving Lerner | Editor |
| Rick Alexander | supervising re-recording mixer: 1991 restoration |
| James Bolt | re-recording mixer: 1991 restoration |
| Joel Fein | re-recording mixer: 1991 restoration |
| Mark Gordon | sound effects editor: 1991 restoration |
| David Gray | dolby consultant: 1991 restoration |
| Gibb Jaffe | sound effects editor: 1991 restoration |
| Diane Marshall | foley artist: 1991 restoration |
| Karin Roulo | foley mixer: 1991 restoration |
