Gerald Butler Recalls 'Burning Alive' After An Acid Accident While Shooting Plane

2023 seems determined to deliver the strangest mainstream movie releases imaginable — in the best way. First, Universal gifted audiences with the camp masterpiece that is "M3GAN," and the year's second weekend marks the release of Lionsgate's incredibly-titled movie "Plane."

"Plane" brings iconic action star Gerard Butler back to the big screen, playing commercial pilot Brodie Torrance. Before another routine flight, fugitive Louis Gaspare boards the flight as part of an extradition process. During the flight, a freak storm forces Brodie to make an emergency landing in the Philippines, where a militia captures the surviving passengers and holds them hostage. Brodie manages to escape the militia's grasp and frees Louis, trusting the convict to help him save the rest of the passengers. In the trailer, the unlikely duo can be seen practically waging war in what looks to be one of the most action-packed movies of the year.

At this point, Butler, known for his over-the-top action movies like "300" and "Olympus Has Fallen," is no stranger to the high-octane stunts that come with the job. The actor nearly died during a surfing accident filming "Chasing Mavericks," he told Good Morning America in 2012. He continued his streak of doing his own stunts with "Plane," revealing that one simple scene left him burning all over.

Gerard Butler has never been one to shy away from putting his body at risk for his movies. "Plane" adds another action-thriller to his filmography, and in typical Butler fashion, the actor performed his own stunts. While you may think the scene that left him burning was one of the many featuring him and costar Mike Colter taking on an entire army, that isn't the case.

Butler recalled on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" that the heat and humidity were unbearable while filming in Puerto Rico, and one simple take would leave him exhausted and covered in sweat. They were filming a scene where his character was trying to figure out what was wrong with the plane before they could escape the island. Eventually, his character deduces that it's an issue with the plane's brakes. Butler had to stick his hands between the wheels, getting them covered in green fluid. 

"I don't know what this green fluid is, but we're also shooting in Puerto Rico, and I'm covered in sweat," the actor said. I'm rubbing my face, and suddenly, it's in my throat, it's in my mouth, it's up my nose, it's in my eyes ... It turns out, this is essentially phosphoric acid, and the airline pilots that were there watching [were like], 'No!' they're trying to put water on my face, "Don't put water! It'll make it worse.' And I'm just burning alive."

Butler said the incident had him burning for hours, but the scene turned out great in the movie, which left him and Meyers joking that he'll do whatever's necessary for the job. Thankfully, the actor seems perfectly fine.