Members of the production company behind Fast & Furious 9 have admitted liability for the “life-changing” injuries suffered by a stunt performer on set in 2019.
FF9 Pictures Limited, a subsidiary of Universal Pictures in the UK, is to pay Joe Watts damages for the incident. In 2022, Watts brought a legal claim for more than $1.2million (£940,000) against the production company [via Variety].
Watts, an experienced stunt performer who has worked on films including Solo: A Star Wars Story and Pokemon: Detective Pikachu, was rehearsing a fight scene at Leavesden Studios with a stand in for Vin Diesel when he was thrown over a balcony and onto a concrete floor from a height of more than 20ft.
It’s claimed that a safety wire designed to stop Watts’s fall malfunctioned and that he also missed the safety mat because the stunt was performed differently to the initial rehearsal.
Watts was in a coma for five days following the accident, and suffered a fractured skull, traumatic brain injury, psychiatric injury and damage to his shoulder.
His lawyers have described his injuries as “life-changing” and claimed that he’s been left with “a series of cognitive and physical issues” requiring specialist support and therapies.
“He will not be able to return to his pre-accident employment as a stunt man,” Watts’ legal filings allege. “If he is able to work, he will suffer a permanent handicap on the labour market.”
FF9 Pictures Limited lodged its defence in the High Court recently, saying that it was to blame for the accident.
“It is admitted that the sole cause of the accident was the negligence of [FF9 Pictures Limited] its servants or agents or those for whom it is vicariously liable,” the company wrote. They added the company was not making any allegations of contributory negligence by Watts.
“Liability is therefore admitted in full and it is accordingly admitted that [Watts] is entitled to such damages as the court may assess or as the parties may agree.”
In their defence statement, however, FF9 Limited said it was making “no further admissions” at this stage regarding the nature and extent of Watts’s injuries, their prognosis or consequences.
Additionally, FF9 declined to comment to Variety about compensation. The company will seek “expert evidence” to advise the court on what would be appropriate.
Watts told Variety: “It’s been almost four years since the accident, and during that time I’ve worked incredibly hard on my recovery. I know I’ll never get back to performing, which still upsets me, but I’m determined to get my life back on track as best I can.
“I’m therefore grateful that FF9 Limited has admitted liability and now call on the film industry to make their sets safer for those working on it. I wouldn’t wish what I went through on anyone.”
Meanwhile, in other news, franchise star Diesel has confirmed the release date for Fast X: Part 2, less than a month after the franchise’s last film hit screens.