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Just over a week has passed since crew members abandoned the South Carolina filming location of Jonathan Majors’ forthcoming action film, and emerging details reveal a production environment that reportedly descended from disorder to hazardous conditions.
Previously, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) initiated a strike on March 26 due to unsuccessful negotiations for a contract that would encompass health and pension benefits. However, numerous crew members indicate that the labor conflict soon morphed into a more pressing concern: safety.
The situation reached a critical juncture when Majors and his co-star, JC Kilcoyne, unexpectedly plunged approximately six feet from a window during a mishap in a scene. The glass, which was intended to shatter during a stunt at a later stage, had allegedly been replaced with a loose piece of tempered glass.
According to sources, Kilcoyne required stitches across his hands. One crew member remarked that the aftermath was as unsettling as the incident itself: “When I arrived, no one mentioned anything about the fall… It felt strange to me.”
Representatives for Kilcoyne have stated that the actor “is recovering well” and “did not perceive any danger while on set.”
But crew who ultimately walked off the job say the incident was just the latest in a string of red flags. Workers described props falling unpredictably — including a rigged tree branch that struck the set medic — and a lack of basic production structure. One veteran crew member claimed there were no standard safety meetings ahead of stunts or prop firearm use, and said it was nearly impossible to identify who was in charge.
“You couldn’t find anybody. You didn’t know who they were,” they said, adding that crew resorted to circulating a “black market” crew list just to keep track of each other.
Concerns extended beyond the set itself. Crew reportedly pushed back on filming in a location later discovered to have black mold, after producers allegedly considered moving forward despite warnings about possible asbestos exposure.
“They didn’t really care about the long-term effects on the crew,” one worker said.
The production has also drawn scrutiny over special effects supervisor Chris Bailey, who previously pleaded guilty to illegal possession of explosives on a film set. Bailey dismissed the incident as a “paperwork infraction,” insisting “no pyro was mishandled.”
By the time the strike was underway, more than 60% of the crew had signed union cards backing IATSE representation. Still, producers — including Dallas Sonnier — have made clear they’re not interested in negotiating.
“The entire industry is in freefall…We don’t negotiate with communists,” Sonnier said in one statement, doubling down after an earlier remark that dismissed picketers as “four assholes with signs.”
Despite the ongoing strike, filming appears to be continuing in some capacity, with producers reportedly seeking replacement crew as union leaders urge workers not to cross the picket line.
The film — believed to be an “anthology sequel” to 2020’s Run Hide Fight — is still shrouded in secrecy. But behind the scenes, it’s the off-camera drama that’s stealing the spotlight.