Universal Subsidiary Hit with £800,000 Fine After Stuntman’s Horror Fall on Fast & Furious 9 Set
Nightmare Accident Rocks ‘Fast & Furious 9’ Set
FF9 Pictures, a branch of Universal Pictures, has been slapped with an eye-watering fine of over £800,000. This follows a horrific accident involving stuntman Joe Watts on the ‘Fast & Furious 9’ set at Warner Bros Leavesden Studios.
Joe, a Surrey-based stunt pro, suffered life-changing injuries after a terrifying fall during filming on July 22, 2019. The stunt went horribly wrong when his safety line snapped midway through a balcony fight scene. He plunged 25 feet headfirst onto concrete, leaving him with severe brain damage and a fractured skull.
Firm Admits Health & Safety Failures at Court
At Luton Magistrates’ Court, FF9 Pictures owned up to breaching health and safety rules linked to the accident. The result? An £800,000 fine.
The tragedy happened during a stunt where Joe was tossed over the left shoulder of a fellow performer — a last-minute change from rehearsals where the right shoulder was used. Crucially, the safety wire wasn’t checked between takes and failed catastrophically.
Safety Blunders Under Fire
District Judge Talwinder Buttar spared no words: Joe Watts is “fortunate to be alive.” She slammed the production for altering the stunt at the last minute without updating safety measures — particularly the placement of crash mats.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), who led the prosecution, revealed the company lacked proper systems to double-check the harness’s security. The harness hadn’t been inspected in over six months, a shocking oversight.
Shining a Spotlight on Film Set Safety
This tragedy has ignited fierce debate over stunt safety across the film industry. High-risk action scenes demand rock-solid protocols — and this case has exposed dangerous gaps.
Industry insiders warn that without urgent changes, stunt performers continue to face needless risks. The HSE is now pushing for stricter safety rules to protect lives on set.
For the latest updates on this case and new health and safety measures shaking up filmmaking, keep an eye on official HSE statements and follow our ongoing coverage.
