The Killer Stars Reveal a Real Motorcycle on Fire Was Used in Key Film Scene

John Woo has remade one of his iconic films, and it debuted on Peacock today. Originally released in 1989, Woo’s “The Killer” starred Chow Yun-Fat as a hitman. In this new version, “Game of Thrones” and “Fast Saga” star Nathalie Emmanuel takes on the lead role. Joining her in the cast are Omar Sy (“Lupin”) as Sey, Eric Cantona (“The Fragile Colossus,” “Elizabeth”) as Gobert, Tchéky Karyo (“Le Femme Nikita,” “GoldenEye”) as Tessier, and Grégory Montel (“Call My Agent!,” “Transatlantic”) as Jax. Recently, ComicBook had the opportunity to speak with Emmanuel and Sy, where exciting details about the filming process were revealed, including a real motorcycle on fire jumping over them during an action-packed scene.

“No,” Sy responded with a laugh when asked if he had ever imagined shooting guns at a motorcycle going over his head. “Actually, that’s why it’s amazing to do what we do and have this opportunity with this movie. Shooting a John Woo movie in Paris… just beyond the dream. I’ve personally never thought about it, but we are so grateful and happy to have that experience. And to see the movie at the end is just amazing, and we’re so proud.”

“Yeah, we did,” Emmanuel confirmed when asked if a real motorcycle went over their heads. “We did, actually,” Sy added.

“That stunt performer, I’m sad to say, I don’t know his name, but he really did something that I hadn’t seen before with my own eyes—jumping over like a whole set whilst on fire,” Emmanuel added. “So he’s doing that blind…”

“In the situation, after the jump, there is… I think like four or five meters before another wall,” Sy explained. “So he has to land and break… you have like 5 meters to break. He’s an amazing performer.”

You can watch our interview with Emmanuel and Sy at the top of the page.

Curious about the story behind “The Killer”? According to the movie’s synopsis, “The Killer” stars Nathalie Emmanuel as Zee, a mysterious and infamous assassin known and feared in the Parisian underworld as the Queen of the Dead. But when, during an assignment from her shadowy mentor and handler Finn (Sam Worthington), Zee refuses to kill a blinded young woman, Jenn (Diana Silvers), in a Paris nightclub, the decision will disintegrate Zee’s alliances, attract the attention of a savvy police investigator played by Omar Sy, and plunge her into a sinister criminal conspiracy that will set her on a collision course with her own past.

The screenplay for “The Killer” comes from Oscar-winner Brian Helgeland (“L.A. Confidential,” “Mystic River”). It’s produced by Oscar-winner Charles Roven (“Oppenheimer,” “American Hustle”) and Alex Gartner (“Uncharted,” “Warcraft”) for Atlas Entertainment, and by John Woo and Lori Tilkin deFelice (“Silent Night”) for Better Tomorrow Films. The film’s executive producers are Terence Chang and Robin Fisichella.

“The Killer” is now streaming on Peacock.

Source: ComicBook, Peacock