While moviegoers are used to a never ending stream of content coming our way, movie making is a long, difficult, and even dangerous process. When big action sequences and effects are added into the mix, things can get even more scary, despite the goal of telling a story to silver screen. We've seen quite a few recent examples of deadly on set accidents, where crew members, stunt performers, and the like have lost life and limb in the process. This includes Edward Norton's upcoming drama Motherless Brooklyn, which had an unexpected fire while filming in March. A firefighter lost his life while tending to the situation, and now a lawsuit is coming Norton's way from the firefighter's wife.
Eileen Davidson filed the suit, after she lost her husband Michael in the line of duty. The main point of the suit is that Ed Norton's production company Class 5 reportedly took out the fire safety system from the building used to shoot Motherless Brooklyn. As such, she's suing both Class 5 and the owner of the building itself.
This news, which comes to us from The Blast, has once again brought Michael Davidson's tragic death back into the spotlight. His is just the latest in a series of tragic on set deaths that have occurred in the past few years. Production for Motherless Brooklyn paused for a week in the wake off Davidson's death, but ultimately continued shooting the project, which stars the likes of Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, and Alec Baldwin.
While Michael Davidson wasn't a member of the Motherless Brooklyn crew, his death is made especially tragic due to his selflessness as a Firefighter. He helped to contain the situation on the set of the movie, and ultimately lost his life in the process. Still, it points out just how dangerous film sets can be.
There have been quite a few terrifying and even tragic on set accidents in big budget movies, mostly related to action sequences and major blockbusters. The most recent happened early in the process of Deadpool 2, where stunt double SJ Harris had a motorcycle accident, and later passed away due to her injuries. The film was dedicated to her memory. Years ago, a crew member died on the set of Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. Meanwhile, the Maze Runner star Dylan O'Brien suffered massive injuries when a stunt went wrong, with his life and the franchise in the balance.
All of these incidents hammer home the importance of safety on film sets. While deadlines and budgets often dictate how production is handled, one misstep could mean the difference between life and death.
Ed Norton's Motherless Brooklyn will still be released as planned, and will arrive in theaters sometime in 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
