Cinema: “Fast & Furious 9” production condemned for failing to comply with safety instructions during filming
The production of “Fast & Furious 9” has been fined £800,000 (around €920,000) after a stuntman fell during the filming of a fight scene. The events occurred in July 2019.
The British courts have delivered their verdict. It has fined the producers of the film “Fast & Furious 9” 800,000 pounds (920,000 euros) for failing to comply with safety instructions during filming, resulting in the fall of a stuntman.
The accident took place in July 2019 at the Warner Bros. studios. Stuntman Joe Watts, 35, the stand-in for actor Vin Diesel in the film, was seriously injured after falling eight metres, reports the BBC.
Joe Watts, who was performing a fight scene on a balcony, fell head first onto the concrete and suffered brain damage.
During the sequence, the stuntman had to climb over his opponent’s right shoulder. But during the second take, there was a last-minute change.
He was finally asked to go over the left shoulder. The safety mats, which were supposed to cushion his fall, were not replaced accordingly.
The investigation also revealed that the safety cable had not been checked prior to this catch. Joe Watts «is lucky to be alive», said Judge Talwinder Buttar.
Over the course of his stunt career, Joe Watts has worked on a number of major productions. In particular, he has worked on “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and the “Game Of Thrones” series.
