Failed Stunt: Missed Crash Mats
The legendary Fast and Furious franchise is renowned for its breath-taking vehicular commotion along with fierce brawls. Behind the scenes, many stuntpeople have to put in a team effort to bring these moments to life; however, things can and do take a turn for the worst. The F9: The Fast Saga studio has been levied a monetary penalty amounting to approximately one million dollars (equivalent to 800,000 pounds) owed to a mishap that happened during filming resulting in a possibly detrimental injury.
An occurrence ensued while shooting the motion picture in Leavesden, England during July 2019. BBC News pronounced that Great Britain’s Health and Safety Executive initiated legal proceedings against the movie’s producers, FF9 Pictures.
Stuntman Joe Watts underwent a skull fracture and incurred brain trauma after dropping into an 8-meter (26 feet) deep pit filled with concrete. During the filming of a scene where another entertainer propelled him off a balcony, Watts failed to land on an intended cushioned mat below.
The stunt had a successful first attempt, but during the subsequent trial the rope snapped. An investigation into the incident revealed that no one inspected the cable between takes.
The prosecution argued that “there was no system for double checking that the link had been properly engaged and tightened.” Furthermore, they asserted that the production “did not extend the crash matting needed to mitigate the consequences of an unintended fall following alterations to the set and the sequence of the stunt.”
The judge presiding over the case declared that Watts was “fortunate to be alive.” This remark was made after considering the gravity of the situation. It is clear that the judge viewed the incident as a serious one, and that Watts should be thankful for his current state of being.
F9 earned a mind-blowing worldwide gross of $726,229,501, according to statistics provided by Box Office Mojo. This equates to the compensation secured for Watts’ injury being approximately 0.14 percent of the movie’s overall revenue.
Rapid X was the subsequent installment in the series. Finishing with a thrilling cliffhanger, the destiny of certain characters remained undeciphered, hosting the comeback futuristically of vital figures from past series parts. The follow-up does not possess an accepted name yet, however is anticipated to be launched on April 4th of 2025. It is also highly likely that more films will enter the franchise.
