A wild car chase scene from Nicolas Cage’s new film, “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” took a turn for the worse early Monday morning when a car jumped the curb hitting one person and injuring another on the streets of New York City, Access Hollywood has confirmed.
In a video posted on The New York Post’s Web site, a Ferrari and a Mercedes are seen in a chase scene on 7th Avenue in the Times Square area of New York.
The action got all too real when the Ferrari lost control and swerved onto the sidewalk hitting a bystander and knocking over a lamppost, which then fell on another person.
“Last night during the sequence, a stunt driver lost control of his car and hydroplaned onto the sidewalk. Members of the NYPD Movie/TV Unit were on site as well as 16 traffic agents. Two pedestrians were injured and taken to the hospital,” a rep for the Mayor’s Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting said in a statement released to Access.
“A communications pole, newspaper box, and a Sbarro’s window were damaged. The production is scheduled to film on 7th Ave. again tonight and tomorrow night, weather permitting,” the statement continued. “If it is raining and unsafe conditions exist, the scene will not be allowed to take place. Members of the NYPD Movie and TV Unit will be on site as well.”
Mark Watkins, who was vacationing in New York from Birmingham, England, saw the events unfold.
“A black Ferrari and a silver Mercedes were chasing each other. The Ferrari took a route down the center of the road, swerving between cars. The Mercedes took the outside lanes.” Watkins told The New York Post. “The Ferrari took a sharp right to the left and lost it, swerving across the lanes, taking out a lamppost and a news stand. One lady was knocked to the ground and a lamppost landed directly on top of a chap.”
Both pedestrians were reportedly taken to Bellevue Hospital with injures that are believed not to be life threatening.
“The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” is a live action movie inspired by Disney’s “Fantasia.” Cage plays the sorcerer on the hunt for a young apprentice. The film is schedule to be released in 2010.