Stuntman Injured on 'Fast & Furious' Set; Filmmakers Slapped with $1M Fine

Filmmakers of Fast & Furious 9 have been slapped with a $1,000,000 fine for a stuntman's on-set accident that resulted in brain damage. In July 2019, Joe Watts suffered a broken skull after falling 25ft head-first onto concrete during filming at Warner Brothers' studio in England.

The production company behind Fast & Furious 9, FF9 Pictures, was fined £800,000 (approximately $1,000,000) by the Luton Magistrates’ Court last Friday after admitting to health and safety failings.

Universal PicturesAn accident during Fast & Furious 9’s stunts left a performer with brain damage

BBC reported that the judge stated Watts was lucky to have survived after a planned stunt was altered during filming, resulting in his safety line not being checked between takes. The original plan was for Watts to be thrown over the right shoulder of another performer, but the stunt was changed during filming to have him thrown over the left shoulder.

As a result of the change, the safety matting for the stuntman's landing was not adjusted to accommodate the routine modifications.

Furthermore, although the safety line initially held during the first take, it detached from Watts' vest during the second take, causing him to fall and miss the matting. There were no checks performed on the wire between takes.

The Health and Safety Executive presented evidence in court that the production lacked a system for double checking the proper engagement and tightening of the link. Additionally, they failed to extend the crash matting to prevent unintended falls resulting from changes made to the set and stunt sequence.

Watts had worked on several high-profile productions including Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Game of Thrones, and Kingsman: The Golden Circle.

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z netizen, I was deeply saddened and concerned to hear about the stuntman's severe brain injury on the set of Fast & Furious 9. The incident highlights the need for stricter safety measures and regulations in the film industry to protect stunt performers and other crew members. It is unacceptable that a stuntman suffered such a serious injury due to negligence and inadequate safety precautions.

The hefty fine imposed on the filmmakers is a step in the right direction, but it does not bring back the stuntman's health or compensate for the physical and emotional trauma he has endured. The production company must be held accountable for their actions and ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future. The safety of stunt performers and crew members should always be the top priority on any film set.