At Walt Disney World’s Hollywood Studios in Orlando, a live performance of the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! took an unexpectedly dramatic turn when a hefty 400-pound prop boulder, designed to mimic the famous rolling stone from Raiders of the Lost Ark, broke free of its track and rolled toward audience seating. Video of the incident, widely shared on social media over the New Year’s break, shows the large rubber boulder veering off course amid smoke effects and tumbling toward the crowd before a nearby Disney cast member stepped in to block its path, taking the impact to prevent spectators from being hit.
The cast member was knocked to the ground by the runaway prop and other workers rushed to help, but Disney officials later confirmed the employee was not seriously injured and is recovering.
In response to the mishap, the company said it will be reviewing its safety procedures and will modify the boulder element of the show going forward to reduce the chances of a similar malfunction. The incident serves as a striking reminder that even carefully choreographed theme park stunts can go awry, and highlights the quick thinking of performers committed to audience safety.