10 Disasters That Happened on Film Sets

10 Disasters That Happened on Film Sets

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re exploring 10 Disasters That Happened on Film Sets.

For this list, we’ll be looking at tragic accidents that happened during film productions, leading to serious injury or death.

Which of these instances shocked you the most? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Vehicular Accidents

“Resident Evil: The Final Chapter” (2016)

Sadly, there were multiple accidents that happened on the set of this movie. Olivia Jackson worked as a stunt double for lead Milla Jovovich, a job that would forever change her life. While filming in South Africa in September of 2015, Jackson was riding a motorcycle as it collided with a camera crane. She suffered major injuries, was put into a medically induced coma, and had to have one of her arms amputated. She would later sue for negligence and rightfully win, though her career in stunts was clearly finished. Crew member Ricardo Cornelius wasn’t quite as fortunate. In December of the same year, he was crushed by a Hummer after the platform it was sitting on tilted, dying hours later in the hospital.

Motorcycle Accident

“Deadpool 2” (2018)

Motorcyclist Joi Harris made a name for herself in the professional racing scene. However, her first job as a stunt performer would be her last. While filming in Vancouver on “Deadpool 2” in August 2017, Harris was doubling for Domino actor Zazie Beetz. Although she was an accomplished racer, and she had practiced the stunt several times, Harris lost control of her bike and crashed. She hadn’t been wearing a helmet, as the character wasn’t, and died on the scene moments later. While the film was dedicated to her memory, many professional stunt workers questioned using Harris over someone better trained. In fact, a more experienced stunt performer was available and willing, but Harris was chosen since her skin tone matched Beetz better.

Wild Animals

“Roar” (1981)

While the message behind this comedy is great, it sounds like the five-year-long shoot was an absolute nightmare. “Roar” follows a man living on a nature reserve with big cats; hilarity ensues when his family comes for a visit. However, what was no laughing matter was the fact that most of the animals used weren’t trained. It’s impossible to single out just one disaster or accident as more than half the crew and cast received serious injuries from their animal co-stars. A lion scalped cinematographer Jan de Bont, an injury that required 220 sutures. Lead actor Tippi Hedren broke an ankle when an elephant picked her up with its trunk, and contracted gangrene soon after. Naturally, there was a high crew turnover rate.

Explosion Accident

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1” (2010)

David Holmes took on the stunts Daniel Radcliffe couldn’t, beginning with 2001’s “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.” But shortly after production began on the first “Deathly Hallows” in early 2009, tragedy struck. While filming a flight sequence in a harness, what was meant to be a controlled explosion sent Holmes falling through the air. Though he was conscious when he landed, he told those around him he couldn’t feel his legs. Sadly, the spinal injury was too severe to repair and he would never walk again. The silver lining is that it hasn’t stopped him from pursuing his passions. He co-founded his own production company, Ripple Productions, in 2013.

A Life-Ending Crash

“The Dark Knight” (2008)

Clearly, some of the biggest on-set disasters can happen from stunts going wrong. Having worked on stunts for “Batman Begins,” Conway Wickliffe returned for the sequel. While shooting at a special effects facility in England, he and the rest of the team planned and tested a sequence for Batman’s Tumbler. He was only meant to follow in a car behind, hanging out the window to film the stunt with his camera. But when the driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a tree, Wickliffe’s positioning ensured his fate; he died at the scene. The film was dedicated in his memory, along with Heath Ledger’s, who tragically passed from an accidental overdose during editing.

An Accidental Shooting

“Rust” (TBA)

The accidental shooting on the set of “Rust” is only the latest example of an on-set disaster. In October of 2021, Alec Baldwin was handling a prop gun that discharged, shooting both director Joel Souza and cinematographer Halyna Hutchins with a live round. While Souza was only injured, Hutchins died from the gunshot. A widespread investigation into on-set safety was issued. Reports of first assistant director David Halls’s history of disregarding safety surfaced, and he would later plead guilty to negligence. While production on the western was originally planned to recommence in January 2023, both Baldwin and armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed were charged with involuntary manslaughter that same month. As of writing, it’s unclear when or if production will begin again.

Plunge Into the Sea

“Top Gun” (1986)

“Top Gun” is an action classic to many, with high-octane thrills, tons of quotable lines, and Tom Cruise at the beginning of his career as a superstar. Unfortunately, not everyone who worked on the movie got to see it. Pilot Art Scholl had worked on plenty of film and TV sets. His ability to capture riveting footage from inside the cockpit made him a must-have for this particular production. In September of 1985, he was practicing a technique off the southern coast of California. However, something went wrong midway, with Scholl saying over the radio that he had “a real problem.” Unable to recover, he crashed into the Pacific Ocean. Neither the plane nor his body were ever recovered, making the actual cause a mystery.

Gun Misfire

“The Crow” (1994)

Brandon Lee’s death is one of the most infamous on-set accidents in film history. In March of 1993, filming on the cult comic book movie had nearly finished. In fact, Lee only had three days left before he was done. They were filming a scene in which Lee’s character, Eric, is shot by Michael Massee’s Funboy. Budget constraints had led to the prop crew creating their own dummy cartridges. When they were exchanged for blank rounds, the firearm’s barrel wasn’t cleaned, and a dummy cartridge had become lodged. When Massee fired, the cartridge hit Lee in the chest and he died after six hours of surgery. The rest of his scenes were finished with a stunt double and special effects.

The Train Incident

“Midnight Rider” (Canceled)

Based on Gregg Allman’s autobiography, “Midnight Rider” was meant to tell the story of the rock star’s life. It didn’t even get through one day of filming before an on-set disaster guaranteed its cancellation. Filming began in Georgia in February, 2014. While shooting a sequence on railroad tracks, the scene was interrupted when an actual train came barreling through the set. As we’d find out, the filmmakers had failed to secure filming rights for the location. This led to several crew members getting injured and the death of assistant camera operator, Sarah Jones. Those in charge of the shoot, including director Randall Miller, were all charged with involuntary manslaughter and trespassing. Miller received a ten-year sentence, though only served one with probation.

Helicopter Crash

“Twilight Zone: The Movie” (1983)

“The Twilight Zone” is spooky, but an accident from the movie’s set was genuinely horrifying. The film tells four stories, each helmed by a different director. John Landis was overseeing his section in July of 1982 in Valencia, California. The story followed a man jumping through time, including the Vietnam War where he had to protect two Vietnamese children. A stunt involving a helicopter went terribly wrong, causing it to crash and injure the six people inside. However, it landed on actor Vic Morrow and child actors Renee Shin-Yi Chen and Myca Dinh Le, killing them instantly. While the movie was still released, the sequence had to be reworked. The accident’s ripple led to years of lawsuits and massive changes to safety regulations within the film industry.