Call it “Indiana Jones and the Curse of the Sequel.”
The latest Indian Jones film, which has run into problems that began with the pandemic and have continued through the movie’s production, has now been hit with the death of a crew member as it films in Morocco, according to the New York Post.
Although film set safety has become a major focus in the aftermath of the death of Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film “Rust,” the death of camera crew member Nic Cupac appears to be from natural causes, according to The Sun.
Walt Disney Studios said Cupac, 54, was found dead in his hotel room in the Moroccan city of Fes.
‘Indiana Jones 5’ crew member found dead on location of troubled production https://t.co/haDJK4uDAu pic.twitter.com/bb9iyz9oWW
— New York Post (@nypost) November 4, 2021
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Nic Cupac, an incredibly talented colleague and member of the film community who will be greatly missed. His sudden passing was not production-related. Nic was a grip on 2nd unit,” a spokesperson for Disney told the Post.
A grip assists in building and maintaining equipment that supports cameras on a film set. About 100 crew members were in Morocco to film the movie.
Although it is uncertain what impact the crew member’s death will have on the production, it comes after Morocco banned flights from Britain — where some of the movie had been filmed — due to COVID-19.
Platos Lost Dialogue? This indication also fits to the theory, that the McGuffin of Indiana Jones 5 could be Atlantis. https://t.co/EKK8MKUOF7
— adventure-gui.de (@adventure_guide) October 29, 2021
However, Britain had not been a trouble-free place for the film aside from COVID.
In June, there was an uproar when the film was shooting in Hackney, East London, because crews blocked a street for days.
June was also the month when actor Harrison Ford suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out of action until he returned to the set when the movie was filming in Italy last month.
The movie was supposed to have hit theaters about four months ago, and at one time was slated to appear next year.
Now, as delays pile up, the film is scheduled to be released in 2023.
Indiana Jones 5, real chases with real cars on real streets. @mang0ld great to see what you are doing with Indiana Jones. ? https://t.co/zyfPSZVhzA
— adventure-gui.de (@adventure_guide) October 27, 2021
“At this point in the filming of Indiana Jones 5, so much has already stood in the way that a [superstitious] person would be forgiven for labelling the production as cursed,” Mike Jones wrote on ScreenRant.
“Ford has only recently returned to filming, after suffering a severe shoulder injury. At 79, questions need to be asked as to whether a fifth film is necessary with Ford returning as Jones — or for that matter, if a fifth film is necessary at all.
“If ‘Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’ proved anything, it’s that sequels don’t necessarily enhance the franchise’s legacy. For now, at least, the film’s greatest priority is ensuring that Cupac’s memory is respected,” he wrote.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
