Michael Mann was briefly hospitalised after an accidental firearm discharge injured his leg at a Los Angeles gun range. The superficial wound is not expected to disrupt preparations for Heat 2.Heat director Michael Mann injured in accidental shooting Filmmaker Michael Mann had an unexpected trip to hospital over the weekend after accidentally shooting himself in the leg during target practice at a licensed gun range in Los Angeles.
The 83-year-old director suffered a superficial injury when his firearm reportedly went off as he was trying to holster it. He was treated and released shortly afterwards.The incident took place at around 4 pm on Saturday, October 31, at The Range LA, according to TMZ, which first reported the news.
Police and medical personnel responded to the scene, although Mann was taken to hospital only briefly.His representative confirmed the incident to Rolling Stone, saying, "On Saturday, at a gun range, a weapon accidentally discharged while holstered, resulting in a superficial injury to film director Michael Mann. He was treated and is being released."A source close to the filmmaker also described the injury as minor and subcutaneous.
Mann is expected to make a full recovery, with the incident not currently reported to have affected plans for his next film. Interestingly, firearms aren't unfamiliar territory for Mann.
The filmmaker has been an experienced target shooter for decades, and his understanding of guns and their use has often found its way into his work. His films are particularly known for their attention to detail when it comes to crime, weapons and realistic gunfire.One of the best examples is the famous downtown Los Angeles shootout in his 1995 crime drama Heat.
Rather than relying entirely on sound effects added in post-production, Mann placed microphones around the set to capture the actual gunfire. The result was an unusually loud and realistic sequence that remains one of the film's most memorable moments.
He also went to considerable lengths to get the details right in his 1981 film Thief, working with former professional burglars to make its technical scenes feel authentic.Mann's filmography includes titles such as Manhunter (1986), The Last of the Mohicans (1992), The Insider (1999), Ali (2001), Collateral (2004), Miami Vice (2006) and Blackhat (2015). Heat, meanwhile, grew out of his 1989 television film L.A.
Takedown.The filmmaker is currently preparing for Heat 2, the long-awaited follow-up to his 1995 classic. Adapted from the book he co-wrote, the project is expected to feature Christian Bale, Leonardo DiCaprio, Adam Driver and Stephen Graham, among others.Production is reportedly scheduled to begin in January 2027.
Graham recently told Today that filming was expected to start then, after earlier plans to begin production this year were pushed back.- Ends