Netflix has officially addressed the fatal accident that recently occurred while filming the new Mark Millar show The Chosen One. The series acts as an adaptation of Millar and Peter Gross' graphic novel American Jesus revolving around a 12-year-old boy who survives a freak accident and learns he is actually Jesus Christ returned to Earth. The young boy will have to come to grip with his miraculous abilities and his destiny to help lead the world in a major conflict.
Development on the American Jesus series adaptation was first announced in 2018 shortly after Netflix acquired Millarworld, Millar's independent comic book publisher behind the graphic novels. Though unclear when production kicked off, it recently encountered a difficult hurdle when actors Raymundo Garduño Cruz and Juan Francisco González Aguilar were killed in a car crash while riding in a van to a local airport, with six other crew members injured but kept in stable condition. Filming on The Chosen One has been temporarily shut down by Redrum, the production company behind the series, and now those behind it are speaking out for the first time about the accident.
Just a few days after the accident was first reported, Deadline has brought word that Netflix has addressed the fatal accident on the Mark Millar show The Chosen One. The streamer released an official statement sharing they are "deeply saddened" by the loss of the two actors and send their condolences to the families of the two. See Netflix's response below:
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic accident that took the lives of Ray Garduño and Juan Francisco González. Our thoughts are with their loved ones and with those injured during this unfortunate accident."
Production company Redrum also released an official statement regarding the fatal accident on the Mark Millar show, expressing feeling "shocked by the tragic accident" and similarly being "deeply saddened" by the loss of the two actors. Though both Netflix and Redrum's statements may seem broad to some, it's sure to come as a respectful response to the situation to others. The decision to halt production on The Chosen One also proves understandable, namely as SAG-AFTRA investigates the situation to determine if either studio was at fault for the deaths of the two actors.
The fatal accident on the Netflix Mark Millar show The Chosen One marks the latest high-profile tragedy to come from a film/TV production. Most recently, Alec Baldwin infamously discharged a revolver on the set of Rust, resulting in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and sparking debate about the use of prop guns on sets, with the family of late The Crow star Brandon Lee criticizing the continued use of the weapons. With SAG-AFTRA currently investigating the accident, one can hope the deaths of Cruz and Aguilar stemmed from a legitimate accident and any ongoing production on The Chosen One doesn't encounter any similar tragedies.
Source: Deadline