10 Movie Stunts Gone HORRIBLY WRONG
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VOICE OVER: Ryan Wild
Stunts provide great thrills for viewers, but they can also be extremely dangerous, leading to horrible accidents like these. For this list, we'll be looking at the worst instances of stunt performers being injured or killed on the job. Our list includes Underwater Trick from “Now You See Me” (2013), Parasailing Under a Bridge from “XXX” (2002), Riding a Bike Towards the Camera from “Resident Evil: The Final Chapter” (2016), and more!
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re examining 10 Movie Stunts Gone HORRIBLY WRONG. For this list, we’ll be looking at the worst instances of stunt performers being injured or killed on the job. They must have been performing a stunt at the time, so mere on-set accidents will not be included. Do you remember hearing about these stories? Let us know in the comments below.
Joi Harris was a professional motorcycle racer turned stunt woman who found work on “Deadpool 2.” She was doubling for Zazie Beetz, who played the mercenary Domino. However, Harris’s role in the production was filled with flaws. For example, a safety inspection was not conducted beforehand, and Harris was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. Said accident occurred on August 14, 2017. Harris was doubling for Domino and riding a motorcycle through the streets of Vancouver when she lost control of the bike and was thrown into a nearby building. She passed away at the scene. An investigation later proved that Harris was not at fault, but was a victim of fatal safety violations.
For this third installment in the beloved franchise, Marty and Doc make their way to the Wild West and get into various shenanigans in 1885 Hill Valley. Some of the actors performed their own stunts, including Michael J. Fox and Buford actor Thomas F. Wilson. Unfortunately, this decision nearly ended Fox’s life. One scene sees Marty getting strung up by a noose and nearly losing consciousness before he’s shot down by Doc. Fox later recounted in his memoir “Lucky Man” that the stunt went wrong and he was strangled for real. He even lost consciousness and was left dangling “for several seconds” before he was rescued. Luckily, he was not seriously injured.
Isla Fisher has something in common with Michael J. Fox - they both nearly died while everyone else was none the wiser. Fisher was filming a scene for “Now You See Me” in which her magician character is submerged in a water tank. As Fisher explained on “Chelsea Lately,” the stunt went wrong and she became trapped in the tank. She struggled in the water for nearly three minutes, but everyone believed she was merely acting. Fortunately, a nearby stunt performer realized something was wrong and pulled a safety switch, which quickly drained the tank of its water. Fisher was saved, and everyone realized with horror that she was not, in fact, acting.
Based on a real event from the ‘70s, “The Cannonball Run” is a road comedy that sees a wide cast of characters racing across America. Unsurprisingly, the movie contains many car stunts. Unfortunately, one of these stunts nearly resulted in the death of stunt performer Heidi von Beltz. Von Beltz was hired by her own fiancé, stunt coordinator Bobby Bass, and placed in a shoddy Aston Martin with stunt performer Jimmy Nickerson. The Aston Martin was supposed to drive between two oncoming vehicles, but the stunt was misjudged and Nickerson slammed head-on into one of the cars. Von Beltz broke her neck and was left with paralysis in all four of her limbs. Bass left von Beltz following the accident, and she was later awarded over $3 million in damages.
Despite all of its stunts, the “Harry Potter” franchise made it to the penultimate entry before a horrible incident occurred. David Holmes had served as Daniel Radcliffe’s stunt double from the very beginning, and this role continued for “Deathly Hallows – Part 1.” Holmes was practicing a stunt at Warner Bros’ Leavesden studios involving wires and an explosion when he violently slammed into the ground. Holmes was left with paralysis by the accident. He immediately knew that something was wrong, and he told the first responders that he couldn’t feel his legs. Holmes retired from the movie industry and now runs a podcast called “Cunning Stunts” in which he interviews other stunt performers.
Released in 1978, “Comes a Horseman” is a Western drama starring the incredible cast of Jane Fonda, James Caan, and Jason Robards. The latter plays J.W. Ewing, who in one scene is dragged from his ankle by a horse. This stunt was performed by Jim Sheppard, who tragically died in the attempt. The horse went slightly off course while filming the stunt, causing Sheppard’s head to slam into a fence post. He was quickly airlifted to a nearby hospital but eventually passed from his injuries. The footage of Sheppard’s fatal stunt actually made its way into the movie, but the accident itself is not seen.
A more extreme version of James Bond, “XXX” stars Vin Diesel as an NSA spy named Xander Cage. Diesel was allowed to perform many of his own stunts, but the more outrageous acts were done by professionals. This includes a stunt in the movie’s climax, which sees Cage parasailing behind a boat and flying under a bridge. This stunt was performed by Harry O’Connor, who completed the first take without incident. But the second attempt went awry when O’Connor struck one of the bridge’s pillars. Unfortunately, the resulting injuries were severe and O’Connor died as a result. The movie was subsequently dedicated to him, and his completed first take can be seen in the finished product.
A cult classic dark comedy, “Vampire in Brooklyn” was directed by Wes Craven and stars Eddie Murphy in various roles, including a vampire named Maximillian. Stunt performer Sonja Davis was doubling for Murphy’s co-star Angela Bassett, and one stunt required her to fall forty-two feet onto a giant airbag. The landing went poorly, with Davis bouncing off the airbag and into a nearby building. She subsequently missed the airbag on the way back down and slammed into the ground. She spent two weeks in the hospital but eventually died of her injuries. Davis’s family went on to sue the filmmakers and producers for $10 million.
As its title suggests, “The Final Chapter” is the concluding entry in Paul W. S. Anderson’s horror series. Unfortunately, the franchise ended with a horrific accident involving stunt performer Olivia Jackson. Jackson was doubling for star Milla Jovovich and was required to drive a bike at high speed towards a camera. In a fancy visual flourish, the camera would move out of her way just in time. However, the stunt went wrong and Jackson collided with the operating crane. She suffered many brutal and permanent injuries, and the damage caused to her left arm resulted in its amputation. She successfully sued the producers for their negligence and was forced to retire due to her injuries.
Perhaps the most notorious movie accident in history occurred while filming “Twilight Zone: The Movie.” The stunt in question saw actor Vic Morrow carrying two child performers through a shallow body of water while a helicopter flew directly above. Meanwhile, explosions shot off in the background to add drama and a sense of spectacle. Unfortunately, one of the explosions caused the helicopter to lose control and it landed directly on top of the actors, killing all three almost instantly. Director John Landis and a number of others were brought up on charges of manslaughter, but all were acquitted following a lengthy trial.
A Fatal Bike-Riding Accident
“Deadpool 2” (2018)Joi Harris was a professional motorcycle racer turned stunt woman who found work on “Deadpool 2.” She was doubling for Zazie Beetz, who played the mercenary Domino. However, Harris’s role in the production was filled with flaws. For example, a safety inspection was not conducted beforehand, and Harris was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. Said accident occurred on August 14, 2017. Harris was doubling for Domino and riding a motorcycle through the streets of Vancouver when she lost control of the bike and was thrown into a nearby building. She passed away at the scene. An investigation later proved that Harris was not at fault, but was a victim of fatal safety violations.
Noose Scare
“Back to the Future Part III” (1990)For this third installment in the beloved franchise, Marty and Doc make their way to the Wild West and get into various shenanigans in 1885 Hill Valley. Some of the actors performed their own stunts, including Michael J. Fox and Buford actor Thomas F. Wilson. Unfortunately, this decision nearly ended Fox’s life. One scene sees Marty getting strung up by a noose and nearly losing consciousness before he’s shot down by Doc. Fox later recounted in his memoir “Lucky Man” that the stunt went wrong and he was strangled for real. He even lost consciousness and was left dangling “for several seconds” before he was rescued. Luckily, he was not seriously injured.
Underwater Trick
“Now You See Me” (2013)Isla Fisher has something in common with Michael J. Fox - they both nearly died while everyone else was none the wiser. Fisher was filming a scene for “Now You See Me” in which her magician character is submerged in a water tank. As Fisher explained on “Chelsea Lately,” the stunt went wrong and she became trapped in the tank. She struggled in the water for nearly three minutes, but everyone believed she was merely acting. Fortunately, a nearby stunt performer realized something was wrong and pulled a safety switch, which quickly drained the tank of its water. Fisher was saved, and everyone realized with horror that she was not, in fact, acting.
A Near-Fatal Car Crash
“The Cannonball Run” (1981)Based on a real event from the ‘70s, “The Cannonball Run” is a road comedy that sees a wide cast of characters racing across America. Unsurprisingly, the movie contains many car stunts. Unfortunately, one of these stunts nearly resulted in the death of stunt performer Heidi von Beltz. Von Beltz was hired by her own fiancé, stunt coordinator Bobby Bass, and placed in a shoddy Aston Martin with stunt performer Jimmy Nickerson. The Aston Martin was supposed to drive between two oncoming vehicles, but the stunt was misjudged and Nickerson slammed head-on into one of the cars. Von Beltz broke her neck and was left with paralysis in all four of her limbs. Bass left von Beltz following the accident, and she was later awarded over $3 million in damages.
Stunt Performer Becomes Paralyzed
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1” (2010)Despite all of its stunts, the “Harry Potter” franchise made it to the penultimate entry before a horrible incident occurred. David Holmes had served as Daniel Radcliffe’s stunt double from the very beginning, and this role continued for “Deathly Hallows – Part 1.” Holmes was practicing a stunt at Warner Bros’ Leavesden studios involving wires and an explosion when he violently slammed into the ground. Holmes was left with paralysis by the accident. He immediately knew that something was wrong, and he told the first responders that he couldn’t feel his legs. Holmes retired from the movie industry and now runs a podcast called “Cunning Stunts” in which he interviews other stunt performers.
Dragged by Horse
“Comes a Horseman” (1978)Released in 1978, “Comes a Horseman” is a Western drama starring the incredible cast of Jane Fonda, James Caan, and Jason Robards. The latter plays J.W. Ewing, who in one scene is dragged from his ankle by a horse. This stunt was performed by Jim Sheppard, who tragically died in the attempt. The horse went slightly off course while filming the stunt, causing Sheppard’s head to slam into a fence post. He was quickly airlifted to a nearby hospital but eventually passed from his injuries. The footage of Sheppard’s fatal stunt actually made its way into the movie, but the accident itself is not seen.
Parasailing Under a Bridge
“XXX” (2002)A more extreme version of James Bond, “XXX” stars Vin Diesel as an NSA spy named Xander Cage. Diesel was allowed to perform many of his own stunts, but the more outrageous acts were done by professionals. This includes a stunt in the movie’s climax, which sees Cage parasailing behind a boat and flying under a bridge. This stunt was performed by Harry O’Connor, who completed the first take without incident. But the second attempt went awry when O’Connor struck one of the bridge’s pillars. Unfortunately, the resulting injuries were severe and O’Connor died as a result. The movie was subsequently dedicated to him, and his completed first take can be seen in the finished product.
42-Foot Fall
“Vampire in Brooklyn” (1995)A cult classic dark comedy, “Vampire in Brooklyn” was directed by Wes Craven and stars Eddie Murphy in various roles, including a vampire named Maximillian. Stunt performer Sonja Davis was doubling for Murphy’s co-star Angela Bassett, and one stunt required her to fall forty-two feet onto a giant airbag. The landing went poorly, with Davis bouncing off the airbag and into a nearby building. She subsequently missed the airbag on the way back down and slammed into the ground. She spent two weeks in the hospital but eventually died of her injuries. Davis’s family went on to sue the filmmakers and producers for $10 million.
Riding a Bike Towards the Camera
“Resident Evil: The Final Chapter” (2016)As its title suggests, “The Final Chapter” is the concluding entry in Paul W. S. Anderson’s horror series. Unfortunately, the franchise ended with a horrific accident involving stunt performer Olivia Jackson. Jackson was doubling for star Milla Jovovich and was required to drive a bike at high speed towards a camera. In a fancy visual flourish, the camera would move out of her way just in time. However, the stunt went wrong and Jackson collided with the operating crane. She suffered many brutal and permanent injuries, and the damage caused to her left arm resulted in its amputation. She successfully sued the producers for their negligence and was forced to retire due to her injuries.
Running Under a Helicopter
“Twilight Zone: The Movie” (1983)Perhaps the most notorious movie accident in history occurred while filming “Twilight Zone: The Movie.” The stunt in question saw actor Vic Morrow carrying two child performers through a shallow body of water while a helicopter flew directly above. Meanwhile, explosions shot off in the background to add drama and a sense of spectacle. Unfortunately, one of the explosions caused the helicopter to lose control and it landed directly on top of the actors, killing all three almost instantly. Director John Landis and a number of others were brought up on charges of manslaughter, but all were acquitted following a lengthy trial.
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