Netflix Removes Controversial 'Bird Box' Footage of Real-Life Train Crash
After facing backlash for using real-life footage of a Canadian train crash in the movie "Bird Box," Netflix announced it is removing and replacing the scene.
The film, which debuted last December, had included footage of the 2013 Lac-Mégantic rail disaster in Canada, which killed 47 people. The video was purchased from a stock footage vendor.
“Netflix and the filmmakers of ‘Bird Box’ have decided to replace the clip,” a company spokesman said a statement. “We’re sorry for any pain caused to the Lac-Mégantic community.”
Netflix initially refused to cut out the footage when the controversy erupted in January, but finally buckled after facing pressure from Canadian government officials.
The footage will be replaced by a clip from an unidentified older American series.
The stock footage vendor, Pond, said it had contacted all customers who purchased clips related to the Lac-Mégantic disaster. The same footage was used in the third season of "Travelers" and has already been removed.