Stuntman killed in fire during Chi Bi filming

[MissCarlos]

BEIJING (Reuters) - A stuntman filming John Woo's new movie in Beijing was killed in a bizarre fire when a small boat rammed into the set of an ancient warship, state media said on Tuesday.

At least three people were injured in the accident during the shooting of the battle epic "Chi Bi," or "Red Cliff."

"The fire broke out early Monday morning when the crew were shooting a scene in which a small, smoking boat crashed with a large ancient war vessel," Xinhua news agency said.

At the point of collision, at which machines let out smoke, an unchoreographed flame jumped 30 meters (yards) into the air, the Beijing News said, citing crew at the northern Beijing location.

Woo, director of such hits as "Face/Off" and "Mission Impossible II," was in Hong Kong at the time of the accident.

The film, adapted from China's classic novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," is set in 208 AD in the dying days of the Han dynasty, culminating in the battle of Red Cliff in which 2,000 ships were burnt.

It stars Hong Kong's Tony Leung, the Chinese mainland's Zhang Fengyi and Takeshi Kaneshiro, whose father is from Japan and mother is from Taiwan.

(Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Editing by Nick Macfie)

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[sofia]

What.....when did this happen? Just recently? But I thought
that the filming has been completed and now in post-production.

[MissCarlos]

They're adding in a few more shots.

Reports say now seven injured:

One man was killed and two replicas of ancient warships were accidentally burned down on early Monday morning, at a shooting of the epic war film, "The War of the Red Cliff," in Xiaotangshan, northwestern Beijing.

The fire that killed one and injured seven others burst out when the crew was shooting a warship collision for the film, Web site sina.com.cn reported.

Most of the film has already been finished, but the crew had to add a few shots into it so as to ensure its premiere on July 10.

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[sofia]

Oh no! This is bad news.
The movie is jinxed.
John Woo should be satisfied with the film just as it is.
Sometimes, the more you add, the worst it will become.

[takeshikaneshiro]

the thing that got me was that takeshi had left and quit the movie red cliff then later on this tragedy ocurrs im sure one in that position can say gee if i stayed that could have been me?

[MissCarlos]

Actually, filming was finished. John Woo decided to add in more scenes and none of the main actors were present.

[sofia]

Yeah MissCarlos is right. The accident happend during the time
when John Woo decided to add on to some scenes when the
film was understood to be completely done and finished long before.

Don't allow rumours to persuade you to think that Kaneshiro-san walked
out before the film was done. When he left for home, he had finished his part in
the filming. He is a professional he wouldn't quit just like that, besides it is not in
character to do so.