6 Things You Never Knew About ‘Twilight Zone: The Movie’
When Twilight Zone: The Movie arrived in theaters on June 24, 1983, it brought together some of the biggest names in Hollywood for a chilling tribute to Rod Serling‘s original series. The creepy film featured segments directed by some of the greatest directors of the ’80s (or ever!), including John Landis, Steven Spielberg, Joe Dante and George Miller. It had a star-studded cast acting out some popular Twilight Zone remakes and one-brand new story.
Unfortunately, the film became infamous for a tragic accident that occurred on set; actor Vic Morrow and young child actors Myca Dinh Le and Renee Shin-Yi Chen were killed during filming. Despite the controversy, the movie was a box office hit and has since gained a cult following among fans of sci-fi and horror. Here are some surprising facts about Twilight Zone: The Movie that might just give you goosebumps:
1 Vic Morrow had a chilling premonition before his death
Warner Bros./Everett Collection
Just before filming the scene that would claim his life, Morrow reportedly turned to a production assistant and said, according to All That’s Interesting, “I must be out of my mind to be doing this. I should’ve asked for a stunt double. What can they do but kill me, right?” Even more unsettling is that nearly a decade earlier, while filming Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry, Morrow insisted on a $1 million life insurance policy before stepping into a helicopter, saying he had always feared he would die in a crash.
That fear tragically came true on the set of Twilight Zone: The Movie on July 23, 1982. A stunt involving low-flying helicopters, pyrotechnics and two illegally hired child actors ended in disaster when the aircraft crashed, killing Morrow and both children instantly. The accident became one of the most notorious in Hollywood history and changed the way dangerous stunts were handled from that point on.
2 Spielberg cut ties with Landis because of the accident
Warner Bros./Everett Collection
Steven Spielberg and John Landis had teamed up to produce the film, but their partnership didn’t survive what happened on set. After the crash, Spielberg was devastated. He also became a vocal advocate for safety reform, saying, according to the New York Times, “No movie is worth dying for,” and encouraged actors and crew to speak up if they felt unsafe. George Miller, who directed the segment “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet,” was so disturbed by the events that he walked away from post-production entirely.
3 The fatal scene wasn’t always in the script
Warner Bros./Everett Collection
The most tragic part might be that scene that ended in tragedy wasn’t even in the original script. It was added late in the filming process, in an effort to humanize Morrow’s character, Bill Connor, who had previously been shown as a bigoted man transported through time to experience oppression firsthand.
The new scene involved Connor rescuing two orphaned Vietnamese children during a helicopter attack, carrying them to safety through a river. The goal was to give Connor a redemption arc, but the sequence was never completed. After the fatal accident, all footage involving the children was cut, and the film kept the character’s original ending, which had him captured by Nazi soldiers and put on a train.
4 William Shatner almost reprised his role (and later made a sitcom cameo related to it)
Everett Collection
One of the most iconic original Twilight Zone episodes, “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet,” featured William Shatner as a frantic passenger convinced there’s a malevolent creature on the wing of his plane. When it came time to remake the story for the movie, Shatner was considered to reprise the role but had to decline due to scheduling conflicts. John Lithgow was cast in his place, delivering a performance so memorable it earned its own legacy.
Years later, the two actors shared a tongue-in-cheek nod to the role on the sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun. Lithgow’s character meets his alien boss, played by Shatner, who complained, says Screen Rant, “It was a horrible flight! There was a man on the wing of the plane!” Lithgow’s reply—“The same thing happened to me!”—was a clever inside joke that delighted fans of both versions.
5 A stolen car may have saved John Larroquette’s life
Warner Bros./Everett Collection
John Larroquette, who played one of the Klan members in the “Time Out” segment, had asked to visit the set the night of the helicopter stunt. He was curious to see the complicated sequence unfold in person. However, Larroquette’s car was stolen the night before, preventing him from making the trip. He later shared this detail in interviews, recognizing how close he came to witnessing the deadly crash or even being hurt.
6 The tragedy prompted industry-wide changes
Warner Bros./Everett Collection
In the aftermath of the accident, the film industry was forced to take a hard look at its safety standards. Since explosives were used near a low-flying helicopter, several crew members expressed concerns before the scene was shot, but those warnings were ignored or never passed along to the director. While no one was found criminally liable after years of legal proceedings, the impact was lasting. Between 1982 and 1986, on-set accidents reportedly dropped by nearly 70 percent as new safety protocols were put into place.
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