Ouarzazate, Morocco – The municipal councilor of Ouarzazate, Abdellatif Baghdi, has come forward to address the rumors shared on international media about an explosion on the set of the highly anticipated film “Gladiator 2.” Baghdi dismissed these reports as false, clarifying that the incident was a minor one involving a small fire, which was promptly extinguished by the film crew.
Rumors of the incident had caused quite a stir, sparking concerns among locals and fans eagerly awaiting the release of the film. However, Baghdi emphatically stated that the rumors were grossly exaggerated, lacking any basis in reality.
“It was a simple incident, and not as horrifying as it was reported. It’s normal to encounter incidents on shooting sites,” Baghdi stressed.
Regarding the circumstances of the incident, he noted, “A minor fire broke out in the studio where Gladiator 2 was being filmed, but the crew quickly managed the situation and extinguished the fire immediately.”
“There are certain parties whose aim is to spread such false news, especially after the production company chose the city of Ouarzazate to shoot this huge artistic project, which a group of countries were striving to secure, but failed,” Baghdi stated, subtly implying that the news had been deliberately exaggerated with malevolent intentions.
In addition to clarifying the nature of the incident, Baghdi also took the opportunity to refute allegations of non-payment of workers’ dues on the film set. He emphasized that all workers, predominantly local individuals from the Ouarzazate area, received their financial entitlements promptly and without any discrepancies.
According to Baghdi, the ambitious film project provided employment opportunities for approximately 2000 persons. He stressed that this has undoubtedly had a positive impact on the local economy.
The Moroccan Times.
