AP:
HONG KONG - A stuntman was killed and six others injured in a fire while shooting an action scene in director John Woo's Chinese historical epic Red Cliff, the film's crew and Chinese media said Tuesday. The accident occurred Monday morning while filming an action sequence in Beijing, the crew said in a statement.
A small boat was set ablaze and collided with a larger boat as the filmmakers had intended, but the fire quickly raged out of control and engulfed both ships. The person killed was a 23-year-old stuntman, the Beijing News reported, citing a local fire commander.Woo, told of the news while promoting his film in Hong Kong, rushed back to Beijing, the crew said.
The crew "is deeply distraught and full of regret. They are making every effort to make arrangements for the deceased, his family and the injured crew members," the statement said.
It was the latest setback to Woo's massive production, which marks his return to Chinese-language film after a stint in Hollywood. Red Cliff, about a well-known battle in feudal-era China, has suffered casting changes and set problems since it started filming in April last year.
