Making movies is dangerous business.
We think of movie sets as controlled, safe, and most of all - fake. But many of the best movies ever made featured real stunts and practical effects that sometimes went horribly wrong.
A 1928 film of Noah's Ark led to multiple drowning, Werner Herzog once had a crew move a boat over a mountain that presented a plethora of consequences, and there was even a radioactive movie set that ended up killing the legendary John Wayne.
Dive into the dark, dangerous and sometimes deadly sets of some of our favorite movies.
1
The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
Several stunt performers were seriously injured during the highway chase scene.
2
Waterworld (1995)
Kevin Costner nearly drowned, and several crew members were injured during the ocean shoots.
3
The Abyss (1989)
Actors spent hours underwater and Ed Harris nearly drowned, later saying he’d never work with James Cameron again.
4
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Filmed in the Namibian desert under brutal conditions. Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron clashed with the crew due to exhaustion and heat.
5
Top Gun (1986)
Pilot Art Scholl died when his plane crashed while filming aerial footage.
6
The Conqueror (1956)
Filmed near a nuclear test site in Utah and 91 of 220 cast and crew developed cancer. 46 died from it, including John Wayne.
7
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016)
Stuntwoman Olivia Jackson lost her arm and suffered severe injuries during a motorcycle stunt gone wrong.
8
Noah’s Ark (1928)
During a flood scene, three extras drowned and many others were seriously injured when the water tanks were improperly controlled.
9
The Exorcist (1973)
Several injuries occurred, the set burned down mysteriously, and crew members believed it was cursed.
10
Ben-Hur (1959)
During the chariot race sequence, one stuntman was thrown from a chariot and nearly died.
11
Fitzcarraldo (1982)
Werner Herzog had an actual steamship pulled over a mountain in the Amazon. Multiple injuries and a plane crash killed several crew members.
12
Apocalypse Now (1979)
The set was hit by storms, people had mental breakdowns, and Martin Sheen had a heart attack.
13
The Crow (1994)
Brandon Lee was accidentally shot and killed with a prop gun due to a loaded blank cartridge mishap.
14
Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
Actor Vic Morrow and two children were killed in a helicopter crash during filming, leading to major industry changes in safety standards.
15
Titanic (1997)
Actors and crew members got hypothermia, and someone spiked the food with PCP, sending 50 people to the hospital.
