Gladiator II stuntman sues studio over burns sustained on a burning film set

Lawsuit after an on-set explosion

British stuntman and actor Edward Sarsfield has filed a claim in the High Court in London against August Street Films — one of the companies involved in the production of Gladiator II. According to his claim, in 2023, during the filming of a scene on a burning ship in Morocco, a gas line used for special effects exploded, and 20-foot flames set his costume on fire. BBC News reported this.

What the claim alleges

Sarsfield, a 47-year-old from Liverpool, worked as an extra in the scene of the siege of a coastal fortress and, according to the claim documents, played a dead soldier, lying on the ship's port side, which was lit by gas-fired flame units, a few feet from the gas line. According to his account, the explosion threw him forward without warning, his costume caught fire, he panicked and ran, falling several times, until colleagues doused him with water from bottles. The claim states that he suffered flash burns to about 15% of his body, including his face, arms and hands, as well as injuries to both knees and his right wrist. He was airlifted by helicopter to a hospital in Marrakesh, where treatment was limited, and was repatriated to the UK four days later. According to the claim, he suffered severe physical deterioration and psychological symptoms, and was left with permanently hypersensitive scars, because of which he has to avoid the sun.

The defendant's and the studio's position

In its legal defence, August Street Films stated that it accepts liability for the incident itself, but does not admit the injuries claimed by the claimant, and did not agree to the £200,000 in compensation sought. The company is a subsidiary of studio Paramount, which said in 2023 that in the accident during a planned stunt sequence several crew members sustained non-life-threatening injuries, received immediate medical attention and remained in stable condition. Sarsfield, August Street Films and Paramount declined to comment further.

Context and what was known earlier

Gladiator II, released in 2024, is a sequel to the 2000 hit starring Russell Crowe; the sequel was directed by Sir Ridley Scott and stars Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington. The accident itself was reported back in June 2023 — at the time the BBC wrote about the injured crew members. What is new compared with that report is precisely the litigation phase: the incident, which the studio had previously reported as an occurrence with prompt assistance, has moved into a lawsuit with a specific amount of damages claimed and a disagreement between the parties — liability for the accident is admitted, but the severity of the injuries and the amount of compensation are disputed. Sarsfield is also known for appearances in Dungeons & Dragons, the Moonhaven series and Troye Sivan's Party music video.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Edward Sarsfield