Joe Watts, the Fast & Furious 9 stuntman who suffered a major accident during the filming, is in an induced coma.
Watts had severe head injuries after a fall on Monday at the Warner Bros studios in Leavesden, Hertfordshire, UK where the film was being shot.
A source told a news outlet that, according to Watts’ fiancee, he was “stable but in an induced coma.”
The production on the film was put on hold to focus on the accident, Universal Studios had confirmed.
Authorities said the injured stuntman was taken to a hospital through an air ambulance.
The British press reported that Watts was Vin Diesel’s stunt double, but a source close to production dismissed the speculations.
Watts has previously worked on action extravaganzas such as Mission: Impossible Fallout, Jurassic World – Fallen Kingdom, Solo: A Star Wars Story and Kingsman: The Golden Circle.
The shooting on Fast and Furious 9, which is slated to hit the screens next May, started last month.
Talking about the fall, a source told another newspaper:
“The stuntman fell at least 30ft maybe a bit more. Vin Diesel was seen on set seconds after.
He looked ashen, totally in shock and blinking back tears. He saw what happened,” further adding, “They were filming a very high balcony scene.
The stuntman leapt from the balcony attached to a safety wire, but it looks like the cable snapped.
He was meant to be left dangling below the balcony via the wire and then lowered slowly to the ground, but he plunged to the ground and landed on his head.
There were gasps and screams when the poor guy hit the floor. It’s horrific and obviously, all caught on camera.
This was handed to police. It happened on a brand new set at the studios. Everything has now been closed on set and filming stopped. It’s a crime scene.”
Further updates to follow.Â
