Jonathan Majors hurt in Daily Wire stunt, crew walkout: producers refuse talks with communists

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Safety complaints have halted work on a South Carolina shoot starring Jonathan Majors, after crew members walked off following a string of accidents and management lapses. The dispute has escalated into a formal labor action that raises immediate questions about on-set protections, union reach and whether filming can continue safely.

The walkout, triggered by a recent on-set fall and a catalogue of safety failures, prompted the international entertainment union to declare a strike on March 26. Crew members who stopped work say the problems go beyond isolated mishaps and reflect broader mismanagement.

How the incident unfolded

During a take late in production, Majors and co-star JC Kilcoyne unexpectedly went through a window. Video of the moment circulated among crew and confirms both actors and a pane of glass fell roughly six feet. Kilcoyne required stitches to his hands after the accident.

According to multiple crew accounts, the glass had been placed loosely in the frame; it was meant to be a breakaway prop for a later stunt that did not involve performers. Several technicians who arrived to reset the scene said the fall was not announced to the crew, and that initial responses on set felt disorganized.

Broader safety concerns reported by crew

Team members describe a series of troubling incidents and omissions that compounded alarm over the window fall. Those accounts include:

Props or set pieces striking personnel, including a rigged tree branch that reportedly hit a medic.

No formal pre-stunt briefings with department heads or the director before complex sequences or firearms use; the production has reportedly been using airsoft replicas for some scenes.

An apparent absence of normal production oversight — such as a unit production manager or a validated crew list — prompting staff to circulate an unofficial roster to identify colleagues.

Discovery of black mold at a planned location, despite contractor warnings about possible asbestos; producers were said to have proposed continuing at the site before crew objected.

Concerns about the special effects supervisor, who has a prior conviction related to explosives and had been restricted from handling pyrotechnic materials in a previous case; the supervisor disputes that the past incident affected on-set safety.

These reports paint a picture of a production where many standard safeguards were allegedly absent or ignored. One veteran crew member described routine practices as unfamiliar, saying they saw little evidence of usual set infrastructure.

Union response and producers’ stance

By the time the walkout broadened late last week, more than 60 percent of below-the-line workers had signed union authorization cards indicating they wanted a collective bargaining agreement handled by IATSE. In response, the union declared a strike on March 26 to press for negotiations and for contributions to benefit funds.

The production continues to operate under a SAG‑AFTRA contract for performers, which often leads below‑the‑line unions to seek parity when above‑the‑line talent are covered. IATSE typically steps in only after crew raise safety or labor concerns on non‑union shoots.

Producers have publicly rejected the union’s outreach. In messages to the press they characterized the labor action as illegitimate and said they would not negotiate, using the phrase “don’t negotiate with communists.” Industry sources say companies involved are recruiting replacement crew while the union urges members not to cross picket lines.

What’s at stake now

The film — reported to be titled Run Hide Fight Infidels and described as an anthology sequel to director Kyle Rankin’s 2020 thriller — has an uncertain future. Some filming reportedly continues on parts of the production, but hiring replacements risks further escalation and potential reputation damage.

Beyond one project, the dispute underscores two immediate industry issues: the enforcement of basic health and safety standards on lower‑budget sets, and how non‑union productions are handled when performers are covered by major talent contracts.

For crew members, the consequences are concrete: potential exposure to hazardous materials, injuries from improperly rigged effects, and a workplace culture they say lacked customary oversight. For producers, the conflict risks production delays, higher costs and scrutiny from regulators or insurance providers.

Immediate: Production disruption and possible delays while staffing and safety are reconsidered.

Short-term: Union pressure for a formal agreement and potential escalation if replacements cross picket lines.

Long-term: Industry attention to safety practices on smaller sets and scrutiny of contractors with prior safety-related convictions.

Representatives for the principal actors and the special effects supervisor were contacted for comment; producers have issued pointed denials about the legitimacy of the strike. At this stage, the dispute looks likely to continue until either a negotiated resolution is reached or the companies complete filming with replacement labor — a prospect that could attract further union and public scrutiny.