An unspecified number of crew members were injured near Atlanta on Tuesday during the filming of the upcoming Eddie Murphy film, “The Pickup.”
The scene had been previously rehearsed, according to an unnamed spokesperson from Amazon MGM Studios, the studio producing the film, and “all safety precautions” had been taken.
Another unidentified source, said by The Associated Press to be “close to the production,” said that a truck “locked up and hit a car” during shooting.
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“The injuries ranged from bumps and bruises to broken bones, the person close to the production said,” according to the outlet. “Two crew members were taken to the hospital, and one remained hospitalized Tuesday.”
“All are expected to make a full recovery,” the AP added.
“Unfortunately, the sequence did not go as planned and several members of the crew were injured as a result,” the studio spokesperson said in a statement cited by the AP. “We are still in the process of gathering facts on what happened and why, but first and foremost our thoughts are with those who are recovering.
“The well-being of the entire crew and cast is our first priority, and we will continue to insist on the highest industry standards of safety while filming,” the statement added. “All safety precautions were reviewed prior to and monitored during the shoot.”
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According to the AP, The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees was also looking into what happened, presumably because the injured crew members were also members of that union.
“IATSE is aware of an accident that took place on the Georgia set of The Pickup and have started an inquiry,” the crew union said in a statement cited by the Reporter.
A second production unit was filming the scene, which generally means that the film’s main stars aren’t involved in the scene and the director is not usually present.
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The AP’s anonymous source, who wasn’t authorized to speak with the media, indicated that the scene was typical for such productions.
“It was a completely freak accident,” the person told the AP. “It wasn’t even a complicated or dangerous stunt.”
The Reporter described the film as a “heist comedy” — perhaps similar to another Murphy film, 2011’s “Tower Heist.”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported earlier this year that the film, which it called “The Pick Up,” would be shot in the Atlanta area through June.
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The AP did not report a release date for the film, but noted that it was unlikely to be delayed by Tuesday’s accident.
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George Upper is the former Editor-in-Chief of The Western Journal and was a weekly co-host of "WJ Live," powered by The Western Journal. He is currently a contributing editor in the areas of faith, politics and culture. A former U.S. Army special operator, teacher and consultant, he is a lifetime member of the NRA and an active volunteer leader in his church. Born in Foxborough, Massachusetts, he has lived most of his life in central North Carolina.
George Upper, is the former editor-in-chief of The Western Journal and is now a contributing editor in the areas of faith, politics and culture. He currently serves as the connections pastor at Awestruck Church in Greensboro, North Carolina. He is a former U.S. Army special operator, teacher, manager and consultant. Born in Massachusetts, he graduated from Foxborough High School before joining the Army and spending most of the next three years at Fort Bragg. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in English as well as a Master's in Business Administration, all from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He and his wife life only a short drive from his three children, their spouses and his grandchildren. He is a lifetime member of the NRA and in his spare time he shoots, reads a lot of Lawrence Block and John D. MacDonald, and watches Bruce Campbell movies. He is a fan of individual freedom, Tommy Bahama, fine-point G-2 pens and the Oxford comma.
