Gladiator 2 Off To A Horrific Start Following On-Set Accident
6 members of Gladiator 2's crew went to the hospital following an on-set explosion.
Variety reports that the production for Gladiator 2 had an incident that injured six crew members on June 7, 2023. Though no cast members sustained injuries, it has been reported that six members of the production crew were treated for burns after an accident occurred during one of the planned stunt sequences. Of the six crew members that were injured, two were treated locally, and four were admitted to the hospital to get more extensive treatment but are in stable condition.
Safety is always a top priority when a film production is in full swing, but accidents are always a possibility, and the production for Gladiator 2 is no exception. Fortunately, none of the crew sustained life-threatening injuries, and will be able to recover in the coming weeks. It’s safe to say that the medical team on-set isn’t just for show, and we’re glad that the studio is taking necessary precautions to ensure that the cast and crew alike aren’t in imminent danger while filming subsequent action scenes throughout the production run.
The accident occurred on location in Morocco, where the coliseum scenes for Gladiator 2 are being filmed. It goes without question that a film with such an epic scope will have some jaw-dropping action sequences, and we’re hoping that the more demanding stunts are being front-loaded during production so the rest of the filming process can go without incident. But if the explosion on-set is any indication of how intense the long-awaited sequel will be, we can rest assured that the final edits will be as breathtaking as they were dangerous to capture on film.
There have been talks of a Gladiator 2 dating back to the massively successful release of 2000’s Gladiator, and all incidents aside, we’re glad that we’re finally going to get sequel treatment to such a monumental feat of cinematography over 20 years later. Rooted in historical fiction, Gladiator 2 will pick up where its predecessor left off, and boast an all-star cast including Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington, and Connie Nielsen to name a few. Though Russell Crowe’s presence is notably absent from the casting bill, the story will pick up where Gladiator left off after the death of his Maximus Decimus Meridius character and follow the story of Lucius, the son of his lover, Lucilla.
A spokesperson for Paramount Pictures made a statement following the incident assuring that the studio “will continue monitoring the situation and taking all necessary precautions as we resume production.” Hopefully better safety measures will be put into place, considering that principal photography for Gladiator 2 only recently commenced, which means there are about four months left of filming. Based on what we know, we’re happy to report that it seems like the medical crew knows how to respond to the dangers that present themselves on-set in a way that ensures minimal critical injures to both the cast and production crew.
Gladiator brought us some of the most stunning visuals we’ve ever seen upon its release, and with Ridley Scott back at the helm for the sequel, we can reasonably expect more of the same. At the time of this article, a theatrical release for Gladiator 2 is slated for a November 22, 2024 release.
