Gladiator II Stuntman Sues Over 'Excruciating' Burns From On-Set Explosion

A British stuntman who suffered severe burns when a gas line exploded on the set of Gladiator II has sued the film's production company, saying the blast left him with permanent scarring. Edward Sarsfield, 47, from Liverpool, filed the Gladiator II stuntman lawsuit at London's High Court against August Street Films, a Paramount Pictures subsidiary, seeking £200,000 over the 2023 accident in Morocco.

Sarsfield says he was playing a dead soldier on a burning ship when a gas line a few feet away exploded without warning, throwing him forward as flames 20 feet high set his costume on fire. His claim describes the burns as "excruciating" and says strips of skin peeled from his arms. The company admits liability but disputes the injuries and has not agreed to the £200,000 demand.

Key Points

• Edward Sarsfield, 47, a British stuntman from Liverpool, has sued August Street Films, a Paramount subsidiary behind Gladiator II, at London's High Court.
• He seeks £200,000 after flash burns to about 15 percent of his body in a 2023 on-set explosion in Morocco.
• Sarsfield says a gas line exploded without warning as he lay on a burning ship, setting his costume on fire.
• August Street Films admits liability for the accident but says "no admissions are made as to the alleged injuries".
• Gladiator II, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington, was released in 2024, following the 2000 film starring Russell Crowe.

What Happened

The accident happened in 2023 during filming in Morocco for a scene in which a coastal castle comes under siege from a ship. Sarsfield was playing a dead soldier, lying on the port side of the ship, which was lit by gas-powered flame bars. He was a few feet from a gas line when it exploded without warning.

His claim says the blast threw him forward as flames about 20 feet high engulfed him and set his costume alight. He suffered flash burns covering about 15 percent of his body, including his face, arms and hands, as well as injuries to both knees and his right wrist. Strips of skin peeled from his arms in the fire. Sarsfield was airlifted to a hospital in Marrakesh and was repatriated to the United Kingdom four days later. He says the scarring is permanent and hypersensitive, and that he must keep out of the sun. Paramount said several crew members suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Background: The 2023 Morocco Explosion

Gladiator II, a long-awaited sequel to Ridley Scott's Oscar-winning 2000 epic, filmed in Morocco, a favoured location for large historical productions.

The scene was a battle sequence: a ship approaching a coastal castle under siege, the vessel itself set alight for the cameras. Gas-powered flame bars are a standard tool for creating controlled fire on set, producing tall flames for the cameras. What went wrong, on Sarsfield's account, was that the gas line itself failed. The explosion was not a planned effect: the line burst without warning, close enough to throw him forward and set his costume on fire before he could move away. A performer lying still as a "dead" soldier cannot react to a sudden blast.

The Gladiator II Stuntman Lawsuit and What Sarsfield Is Claiming

The claim seeks £200,000 in damages. It alleges the production failed to keep Sarsfield safe a few feet from a live gas line on a set designed to burn. His lawyers say the burns were severe and lasting: flash burns across about 15 percent of his body, damage to his face, arms and hands, injuries to both knees and his right wrist, and scarring hypersensitive to sunlight.

For a working stunt performer, such injuries carry a professional cost as well as a personal one. Stunt work depends on physical capability, on being able to take falls, fight, ride and perform in demanding conditions, and on being available for the next job. Permanent scarring, sun sensitivity and knee and wrist injuries limit the roles a performer can take. August Street Films has not agreed to the £200,000 figure, and its position is that while it accepts liability for the accident, "no admissions are made as to the alleged injuries". In practice, that means the company is likely to challenge the severity of the injuries, their lasting effects, or the amount claimed, while accepting that the explosion itself was its responsibility. The case will now proceed through the High Court unless the two sides settle.

Reactions and Industry Response

Neither August Street Films nor Paramount Pictures has issued a detailed public statement beyond the position in the court papers. The company appears to expect the case to turn on medical evidence rather than on what happened on the day. Paramount's statement in 2023, made soon after the accident, confirmed that several crew members had suffered non-life-threatening injuries, and the production continued to its 2024 release, where the film earned strong box-office returns around the world.

Why It Matters

The case matters first because of what Sarsfield went through: a working stuntman left with permanent scarring and injuries that affect his health and his livelihood. The £200,000 he seeks is modest by Hollywood standards, but it represents recognition of lasting harm. It matters more broadly because Gladiator II was a flagship production, the kind of film whose safety practices set the standard for the industry. If a gas line could explode beside a performer on a set of this size, other productions will want to know what failed. Stunt performers rarely have the public profile of the stars they double for, so a High Court claim brings the risks of their work into the open.

What Happens Next

The claim will move through the High Court, with both sides exchanging medical evidence and witness statements. The most likely outcome is a negotiated settlement, as is common in admitted-liability cases, once the value of the injuries is agreed. If no settlement is reached, a judge will decide the damages at trial. The accident itself is no longer in dispute: the company has accepted that the explosion was its responsibility.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Edward Sarsfield?
Edward Sarsfield, 47, is a British stuntman from Liverpool who worked on Gladiator II. He was injured in a 2023 on-set explosion in Morocco while playing a dead soldier on a burning ship.

How much is he claiming?
He is seeking £200,000 from August Street Films, a Paramount Pictures subsidiary behind Gladiator II.

What injuries did he suffer?
His claim says he suffered flash burns to about 15 percent of his body, plus injuries to both knees and his right wrist. He says the scarring is permanent and he must avoid the sun.

Has the production company admitted fault?
In part. August Street Films admits liability, but says "no admissions are made as to the alleged injuries" and has not agreed to the £200,000 demand.

When was Gladiator II released?
Gladiator II, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington, was released in 2024, following the 2000 film starring Russell Crowe.

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