In letters fired off to Ridley Scott and stars such as Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington and Paul Mescal, the organization urges the production to stop using live animals after a horse allegedly collapsed on set in Malta.
- Jul 19, 2023
AceShowbiz - PETA is picking a fight with "Gladiator 2" director and cast over alleged animal use during filming. The animal rights organization is taking issue with the use of live animals for the production of the Ridley Scott-directed movie after a horse allegedly collapsed on the set in Malta.
PETA has reportedly sent letters to the filmmaker and the cast, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington and Paul Mescal, in which it urged the production to stop using live animals and replaced them with CGI instead. They fired off the letters after allegedly receiving whistleblower complaints about the use of both horses and macaque monkeys on set. It was allegedly claimed that at least one of the horses recently collapsed.
PETA is assuming the horse collapsed due to extreme temperatures on the Mediterranean island. "Scorching summer heat and oppressive costumes are a dangerous mix for horses, who are naturally skittish animals, prone to flight and injury, and vulnerable to the stresses of a film set. The film and TV industries have a past riddled with on-set horse injuries and even deaths," part of the letter, which was obtained by TMZ, read. "We sincerely hope 'Gladiator 2' avoids adding another death to that list."
The org additionally warned about the dangers of working with live macaques, saying they're unpredictable and can "attack and bite humans." It elaborated, "Their teeth are sharp, their jaws are strong, and their bites are often severe. Macaques commonly carry the herpes B virus, which can be deadly to humans."
Despite the SAG-AFTRA strike, PETA heard that production on the "Gladiator" sequel plans to continue Tuesday through Saturday next week. In that case, the organization suggested that Scott "immediately cancel plans to use real animals for the film."
In addition to the lead stars, others like Connie Nielsen, Djimon Hounsou, Lior Raz, Joseph Quinn, Derek Jacobi, Matt Lucas, Peter Mensah, Mike Parish and Chi Lewis-Parry were reportedly implored by PETA to relay the concerns. So far, there's no response from Scott, Paramount and the production company behind "Gladiator 2".
In June, six crew members were injured in an accident involving fire during filming. Production was suspended last week after the actors union announced a strike, with no confirmation on when it will resume.
