Catastrophic Mishaps That Occurred on Movie Production Sites
Movie making can be a risky business, often with financial and physical dangers lurking around every corner. Here are 19 of the worst disasters to ever strike a movie set.
- Syriana (2005)Actor George Clooney suffered severe injuries after a stunt went awry during filming. He was thrown back and hit his head, causing a crippling headache and agonizing pain. Clooney's health worsened as he struggled with his physical toll, and he even considered taking his own life at one point[1].
- Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018)During a stunt scene, lead actor Dylan O'Brien was hit by a vehicle, sustaining a concussion, fractured cheekbones and orbital sockets, lacerations, and more[2]. Production was halted as O'Brien recovered, with delays eventually extending to nearly a year.
- *Live Free Or Die Hard (2007)Stunt performer Larry Rippenkroeger was injured while working as Bruce Willis' stunt double on the film. Rippenkroeger fell 25 feet during a stunt, suffering multiple broken bones, a deflated lung, and other injuries[3].
Greek stuntman Jeremy Fitzgerald sustained a large scalp wound after a stunt gone wrong on the set of The Avengers (2012). He was lucky to avoid a sharp gutter that could have caused much worse injuries[4].
Actor Michael J. Fox fell ill after a particularly gross meal offered to the entire crew during the filming of Back to the Future Part II (1989). Fortunately, it was only a case of food poisoning[5].
- Fury (2014)An anonymous stunt performer was stabbed during training on the European set of the film. Despite the severity of the injury, the performer reportedly remained in good spirits as they left the hospital[6].
- Titanic (1996)Production was riddled with difficulties due to challenging weather conditions and rigorous stunts. The cast and crew even experienced a day of food poisoning, with several members being knocked out by an off-putting feast[7]. Injuries included fractured faces, broken legs, and lacerated spleens[7].
- Kick-Ass 2 (2013)During a fight sequence, stunt performer Talila Craig was accidentally thrown into a wall, causing her head to crack open. The impact was caused by a hydraulic system that pushed her too far off her mark[7].
- The Passion of the Christ (2004)Jim Caviezel endured a harrowing experience while filming the movie. He was struck by lightning during preparations for the Sermon on the Mount scene, suffered brutal whippings, and separated his shoulder while carrying the cross[8].
- Wind (1992)Stunt coordinator Chris Anderson suffered fractured bones, a broken leg, and a ruptured spleen during the filming of Wind. Remarkably, Anderson continued to work as a stunt coordinator following the incident, contributing to films such as King Kong (2005) and Knowing (2009)[9].
After a crash on the set of Top Gun (1986), stunt pilot Art Scholl died instantly when his plane crashed into the sea. It remains unclear what caused the accident, although Scholl's last words were "I have a real problem"[10].
- The Dark Knight (2008)During rehearsals for a car explosion scene, the vehicle swerved, striking and killing stunt driver Conway Wickliffe[11].
- xXx (2002)During a parasailing scene, stunt double Harry O'Connor was killed when his head struck a fence post after the rope went off course[12].
- Comes A Horseman (1978)While performing a stunt for the film, actor Jason Robards was dragged by a horse. In an eerie coincidence, Robbard's stunt double was also killed in a horse-related accident off-set[13].
- Waterworld (1995)This production was plagued with misfortune, with numerous jellyfish stings, equipment problems, and even the loss of stuntman Laird Hamilton at sea. Additional difficulties included Kevin Costner demanding luxury accommodations off set, while his crew had to make do with shoddy living conditions[14].
- The Conqueror (1956)Years after the film's release, 91 of the cast and crew members would be diagnosed with cancer. This was due to the filming location in Nevada, where nuclear tests had contaminated the soil[15].
- The Hobbit (2012-14)In a dark twist of fate, 27 animals died during production. The animals apparently suffered from poor living conditions and treatment. The American Humane Association allowed producers to avoid accountability for the deaths, as the animals were not technically killed on set[16].
- Transformers: Dark of The Moon (2011)A stunt involving extras driving their cars ended tragically when a cable snapped, striking and killing stuntwoman Gabriela Cedillo. The production settled with Cedillo's family for $18 million in damages[17].
- Vampire in Brooklyn (1995)Sonja Davis was a highly respected stunt performer who had previously doubled for stars such as Angela Bassett. However, during a stunt for the film, she fell 42 feet to her death after crashing into a tree[18].
- Red Heat (1988)Stunt coordinator Beenie E. Dobbins passed away due to pneumonia during the filming of the movie. Dobbins had extensive stunt experience, having worked on films such as E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Ferris Bueller's Day Off[19].
References:[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Clooney#Syriana_(2005)[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maze_Runner:The_Death_Cure[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_Free_or_Die_Hard[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Fitzgerald[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Back_to_the_Future_Part_II[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fury(2014)[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titanic_(1997)[8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Passion_of_the_Christ[9] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_(1992_film)[10] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Gun[11] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Knight_(film_score)#Accidental_death[12] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XXX_(film)[13] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comes_a_Horseman[14] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterworld[15] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Conqueror[16] https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/hobbit-trilogy-the-behind-the-scenes-tragedy-that-claimed-27-left-30-left-to-die-1006285[17] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transformers:Dark_of_the_Moon[18] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vampire_in_Brooklyn[19] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Heat(film)
- The general news has reported tragic accidents in the entertainment industry, such as the one that occurred on the set of Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018), where lead actor Dylan O'Brien sustained severe injuries during a stunt scene.
- Crime and justice developments in the world of entertainment are not limited to legal disputes; for example, the case of The Hobbit (2012-14), where 27 animals tragically died during production due to poor living conditions and treatment, resulting in an investigation by the American Humane Association.
