Several Injuries Reported on the Set of New Eddie Murphy Film
Two crew members were reportedly hospitalized during a second unit action sequence that had previously been rehearsed.
Several crew members were injured during a "freak accident" on the Atlanta set of Eddie Murphy's upcoming heist movie The Pickup. An MGM Studios spokesperson confirmed Tuesday that an investigation is ongoing after multiple people sustained injuries, ranging from bruises to broken bones, per someone close to production, while filming the second unit sequence on Saturday, April 20.
"On April 20, an accident occurred on the set of The Pickup during a rehearsed 2nd unit action sequence. Unfortunately, the sequence did not go as planned and several members of the crew were injured as a result," the spokesperson told Entertainment Tonight. "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. All safety precautions were reviewed prior to and monitored during the shoot."
According to the Associated Press, the film's stars – including Murphy, Keke Palmer, and Pete Davidson – were not on set at the time of the incident. A person close to the production told the outlet that the incident occurred on a location outside of Atlanta when a truck locked up and hit a car. That person said "it was a completely freak accident" and "wasn't even a complicated or dangerous stunt." The mishap left several crew members dealing with injuries ranging from bruises to broken bones, and two crew members were reportedly taken to the hospital, with one remaining hospitalized as of Tuesday. Further details are not available at this time.
In a statement, per The Hollywood Reporter, the crew union IATSE said, "IATSE is aware of an accident that took place on the Georgia set of The Pickup and have started an inquiry."
Directed by The Blackening's Tim Story from a script by Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider, Amazon MGM won a bidding war for The Pickup last year, Deadline previously reported. Described as a "heist comedy in the Bad Boys," the film will reportedly follow Murphy's character, who "becomes smitten with a woman and finds himself mixed up in a heist attempt." Along with Murphy, Palmer, and Davidson, the pic also stars Eva Longoria and Marshawn Lynch.