Tragedy on the set of Sylvester Stallone’s The Expendables 2.
One stuntman has been killed and another sustained critical injuries after an incendiary went awry during filming of the action-packed sequel on location in Bulgaria.
Here’s what happened.
The unidentified stuntmen were shooting a second-unit explosion scene on Thursday night at Lake Ognyanovo, a reservoir outside the capital of Sofia, when the accident occurred.
One of the men died at the scene while the other was rushed to the hospital. His is reportedly unconscious but in stable condition after undergoing a five-hour operation.
Local authorities have launched an investigation and Nu Image/Millennium, the Hollywood production company behind The Expendables 2, confirming the mishap and promising to fully cooperate with police.
“It is with great regret that we confirm this unfortunate accident,” the producers said. “Our hearts go out to the families and those on the production affected by this tragedy. The filmmakers are working closely with the authorities in responding to and investigating this accident.”
The ensemble film, helmed by Simon West, brings together action legends of the ’80s and ’90s including Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Dolph Lungren, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Jason Statham, Jet Li, and Chuck Norris.
The all-star cast was not present when the accident occurred, instead filming two-and-a-half hours away in the scenic mountain resort village of Bansko.
A rep for Stallone, the driving force behind the franchise (he wrote and directed the original high-octane shoot ’em up and hatched the story for the follow up), was unavailable for comment.
The first Expendables, released by Lionsgate, earned mixed reviews but did a bang up job at the box office, grossing $274 million in worldwide ticket sales.
