Gladiator 2 crew members treated for burn injuries in ‘fireball’ stunt accident

Several crew members on Ridley Scott’s Gladiator sequel were injured after a stunt accident went wrong, Paramount Pictures confirmed Friday (9 June).

Reports emerged earlier that a “ball of fire” had erupted on the set of the film, which is currently being filmed in the Sahara desert in Morocco.

Oscar-nominated Aftersun actor Paul Mescal plays the lead role in the new film opposite Denzel Washington.

“While filming a planned stunt sequence on the set of the ‘Gladiator’ sequel, an accident occurred during which several crew members experienced non-life-threatening injuries,” a spokesperson for Paramount, the studio behind the film, said in a statement.

“The safety and full medical services teams on-site were able to act quickly so that those who were impacted immediately received necessary care. They are all in stable condition and continue to receive treatment.”

According to Variety, a total of six people received treatment for burn injuries, four of whom remain in the hospital. No cast members were harmed.

Previously, a source had told The Sun that “a huge ball of fire flew up and caught several crew members in its path”.

“In years of filming, I’ve never seen an accident so scary.

“... Everyone involved, from the lowliest runners to the star names, has been shaken up by this.”

Earlier this year, Russell Crowe confirmed he would not return in the sequel as his lead character from the original movie, Maximus Decimus Meridius.

The new film will focus on Lucius (Mescal), the son of Maximus’s lover Lucilla (played by Connie Nielsen in the 2000 original).

“It’s an intimidating feat. It’s something I’m nervous about but something I feel like I can do,” Mescal said previously about the role. “And I’m so proud I get to make it.”

Gladiator 2 is set to be released in cinemas on 22 November 2024.