Few video game-related film franchises have left their mark on the industry like the Resident Evil series. Between the years 2002-2016, the saga based on Capcom’s horror video game collection solidified THE FIFTH ELEMENT actress Milla Jovovich as a bonafide action star. However, a recent lawsuit could find the RE films in trouble, after Jovovich’s stunt double, Olivia Jackson, has moved to file suit against the producers of the final film in the franchise, RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER.
According to a report published by THR, Jackson’s complaint states that the accident occurred due to the opinion that producers were, “elevating financial considerations over safety.” As the report continues, it says that Jackson arrived on set to shoot a fight sequence, but was instead directed to perform a “dangerous and technically complex motorcycle scene in adverse weather.” That sequence had placed Jackson atop a motorcycle which was meant to be operating at high speeds while traveling towards a camera. The camera was supposed to be lifted before Jackson made her pass underneath the equipment, only the camera operator failed to lift the camera in time, which caused Jackson to collide with the rig.
The complaint then states that the collision was “catastrophic” to Jackson, “slicing through the bone of her forearm and tearing the flesh off her cheek, leaving her teeth exposed.” After paramedics arrived on the scene, Jackson was placed in a medically-induced coma, and sadly, had to have her left arm amputated on account of the damage done. Not only has the accident ended her career as a stunt performer, Jackson also claims that producers gave her false information about insurance being willing to cover the cost of her hospital stay and intense surgical procedures. In time, Jackson had only received $33,000 toward her daunting medical bills, and got no liability coverage for her claim. At the time when Jackson was comatose, her husband claims that producers of the film assured him that insurance would see to her struggles, though that promise has since been broken.
A portion of Jackson’s complaint reads as follows with regard to the producers falsifying their understanding of just how much insurance would kick in:
“Had such facts been known to Plaintiff, she never would have agreed to perform The Final Chapter, or alternatively, would have secured additional insurance on her own. She had already secured the role of stunt double for a leading cast member in Wonder Woman, and didn’t need the work.”
Unfortunately, Jackson’s story isn’t the only tragic result from the set of RESIDENT EVIL: THE FINAL CHAPTER. In addition to Jackson’s life-altering injury, a crew member by the name of Ricardo Cornelius was also killed on set. To add fuel to the fire, it was previously reported that several background actors playing zombies sustained injury while working on RESIDENT EVIL: RETRIBUTION.
Try as the industry might, it’s become abundantly clear that more extensive measures must be taken to insure the safety of actors/stunt personnel while filming. Too many of these types of stories have cropped up in the past few years, and while some productions are keen to make certain that their sets are as safe as can be, others are woefully lacking when it comes to the safety of their cast and crew. We expect for there to be more to this story as Jackson’s case develops.