Paul Mescal watched in horror as a fireball engulfed the set of Gladiator 2 – leaving six crew members needing hospital treatment.
Production on Ridley Scott’s sequel to the Russell Crowe blockbuster was halted after the explosion on set. Aftersun actor Paul Mescal and Oscar winner Denzel Washington were reportedly nearby when incident happened in the Sahara desert – but escaped injury.
A source said: “It was terrifying, 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.”
Read more: PJ Harvey announces two 3Olympia Theatre dates in upcoming tour for new album
The source added: “Everyone from the runners to the star names has been shaken up by this”.
The eagerly anticipated sequel to the 2000 smash hit Gladiator – which also stars Pedro Pascal and Connie Nielsen – is due for release in November 2024. Mescal will play a grown-up Lucius, the son of Ludmilla, Russell Crowe’s character Maximus’ love interest in the original movie.
Barry Keoghan, who had been tipped for a role in the swords and sandals epic, had to turn it down because of a clash in his work schedule.
A spokesperson for Paramount Pictures confirmed the freak accident on set and said all six who were injured were now in a stable condition, with two released from hospital.
In a statement they said: “The safety and medical services were able to act quickly so those who were impacted immediately received necessary care.”
READ NEXT:
- TikTok sensation Matt Rife to play 3Olympia Theatre as part of worldwide tour
- Barry Keoghan forced to leave blockbuster Gladiator sequel
Join our new WhatsApp community! Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Sign up to the Dublin Live Newsletter to get all the latest Dublin news straight to your inbox.
