Michael Bay Apologizes for Real Plane Crash Footage in 'Project Almanac'
Michael Bay last summer
By Ryan Gajewski
Michael Bay has apologized for a scene in one of his production company’s upcoming films.
Families of two victims of a real-life 1994 Air Force crash recently expressed dismay to Paramount about a clip from the trailer for the studio’s forthcoming time-travel thriller Project Almanac, according to the Air Force Times.
The scene shows characters watching footage of a plane crash that the loved ones of Col. Robert Wolff and Lt. Col. Mark McGeehan believe to be footage of the actual B-52 crash that killed the two men.
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The Times reports that Paramount told the victims’ families Tuesday that the clip is of a 2009 crash that happened in Tokyo, not the 1994 wreck.
On Wednesday, Project Almanac producer Bay said he didn’t realize that the film’s first-time director, Dean Israelite, had used actual footage of a crash instead of CG effects. Bay added that he has asked Paramount to cut the scene immediately.
"I let film directors make their movies at Platinum Dunes [Bay’s production company] and give them tremendous responsibilities," Bay said in a statement released to the Times. “Well, unfortunately a very bad choice was made to use a real crash instead of creating a VFX [visual effects] shot, without realizing the impact it could have on the families.”
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"I want to also extend my deepest apology to the families, and also to the U.S. Air Force," Bay said.
A Paramount rep told the Times that the studio was in the process of removing the clip from the film and did not expect the planned Jan. 30 release date to be affected.
Paramount did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.
The film’s trailer can be seen below.
Image credit: AP Photo/Kin Cheung
