We all know that it takes a lot of work and sacrifice to make a good movie. However, bizarre things happen every now and then during the filming of certain motion pictures. The following doomed movie sets seem to be followed by bad luck, whether they are horror movies that involve the occult or simply superhero or action movies.
1. The Possession
The Possession features one of the top doomed movie sets, as it recorded paranormal activities. Both cast and crew were freaked out by the cold breeze that rolled in when they were filming, as well as by the lights that would explode every now and then. Furthermore, with no apparent cause the prop store room burned to the ground, and with it the Dybbuck box. When the family that inspired the movie offered to give them the original box, the director refused to create even more uneasiness on the set.
2. Superman
The actors who played the beloved superhero all have something else in common: bad luck. George Reeves, who starred in the 1950s Adventures of Superman, was found dead by a gunshot. His death was deemed a suicide but his fingerprints were never found. Christopher Reeve, the first Superman on the big screen, fell from his horse and ended up paralyzed for the rest of his life. Superman III actors Richard Pryor and Margot Kidder were diagnosed with sclerosis and bipolar disorder.
3. The Poltergeist Trilogy
It seems the producers really annoyed the spirits when they brought real human remains for the filming of the three Poltergeist movies. Six years after the release of the first motion picture, four actors were dead: Heather O’Rourke, Dominique Dunne, Will Sampson and Julian Beck. O’Rourke died at only twelve years old, while Dunne was killed by her boyfriend.
4. The Amityville Horror
This movie was made twice, once in 1979 and once in 2005. Both versions had some scary encounters. The original motion pictures starred James Brolin, who refused to believe the paranormal story upon which the script was based. However, while he was reading the script an object fell from its hanger and thus made him reconsider. Actor Ryan Reynolds who was in the 2005 version declared that some crew members kept waking up in the middle of the night at 3:15 a.m. This was the exact time the murders were committed.
5. Batman
Batman was not spared from bad incidents either. After his brilliant performance as the Joker, Heath Ledger soon died after taking a drug overdose. However, he had been previously warned by Jack Nicholson who played the same part about twenty years ago. Nicholson told Ledger that the role is very difficult and can push actors to go to dangerous lengths. Ledger ended up sleeping only two hours per night and battling depression. Bad luck followed the movie even after it was released, as murderer James Eagan Holmes opened fire upon the viewers of a midnight screening of The Dark Knight Rises. He managed to injure 70 people and kill 12.
6. The Matrix Trilogy
The top doomed movie sets also include the hugely popular Matrix trilogy. It started with the birth of the stillborn child of Keanu Reeves which led to the separation from his girlfriend. Soon after that she was involved in a crash accident that resulted in her death. Furthermore, singer and actress Aaliyah was killed in a plane crash. Gloria Foster also lost her life and Keanu Reeves had to interrupt filming several times due to a motorcycle accident, a foot injury and the disease of his sister. It was Reeves who saved the production in the end by investing a great part of his salary.
7. The Passion of the Christ
The next entry might seem downright ridiculous, as Jan Michelini, assistant director on the set of The Passion of the Christ was struck twice by lightning. The main star of the movie, Jim Caviezel, was also struck once in addition to dislocating his shoulder while carrying the cross and ripping a piece of his flesh. Furthermore, he had a lung infection and hypothermia which transformed into pneumonia, and he also endured skin infections from makeup. Quite a high price to pay if you want to portray Jesus Christ.
8. Rosemary’s Baby
Another one of the doomed movie sets belongs to Rosemary’s Baby. The producer, William Castle, experienced kidney failure, while the music composer died from the same way as one of characters from the story: a blood clot. However, nothing can surpass the bad luck of director Roman Polanski, whose pregnant wife was killed by the followers of Charles Manson, a serial killer who wanted to produce music.
9. The Omen
The series of bad luck events in the production of Omen started with two planes being hit by lightning: one was transporting the scriptwriter, David Seltzer, while the other was carrying Gregory Peck and Mace Neufeld, executive producer. They all survived, but the cast and crew also managed to escape death after two IRA bombings at a hotel and at a restaurant.
10. The Exorcist
Our top doomed movie sets list could not be complete without The Exorcist. The media reported that numerous viewers fainted or vomited when watching this movie, but the most interesting part has to be the church case. It seems that a cross atop of a church from the 16th century was struck by lightning and thus fell onto the street. The church was situated right near a cinema that was showcasing the motion picture.
