Gladiator II stuntman sues over injuries from on-set explosion

A British stuntman and actor is suing one of the companies behind Gladiator II, saying he suffered "excruciating" burns and permanent scarring in an accident while filming a scene on a burning ship. Edward Sarsfield was playing a dead soldier in the movie in 2023 when a gas line used for special effects exploded on the vessel, causing 20ft flames that made his costume catch fire, his legal claim said.

He "panicked and ran" before colleagues threw bottles of water over his burns, which covered about 15% of his body, including his face, his arms and hands, he said. Sarsfield is suing August Street Films, whose defence said it admits liability for the accident, but has not made an admission about the alleged injuries or agreed to the requested £200,000 damages.

Gladiator II, released in 2024, was the long-awaited sequel to the hit 2000 drama starring Russell Crowe. The follow-up was directed by Sir Ridley Scott and starred Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington.