How Furious 7 director James Wan shot actual cars dropping from a plane

(Image credit: Screenshot)

Before Furious 7 ever hit theaters, moviegoers knew they were in for at least one high-flying scene, thanks to the film's trailer. In it, we see the franchise's regulars strapped into their cars, but with a new twist: The cars are preparing to parachute out of an airplane.

Director James Wan talked to The New York Times about shooting the scene:

We took actual cars in an actual plane and we flew up into the sky and we threw a bunch of vehicles out of the back of a plane. We had skydivers chasing after these cars and basically trying to get the shots for us. We used visual effects to help us in moments that were too dangerous for the skydiving cameramen to get.

Apologies to the car enthusiasts out there who are cringing at the thought of intentionally smashing that many cars (but a suggestion: Don't go see these movies if you can't handle what amounts to two hours of demolition derby).

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You can read the rest of Wan's interview via The New York Times, and watch the trailer for Furious 7, featuring part of the plane scene, below. —Sarah Eberspacher

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Sarah Eberspacher is an associate editor at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked as a sports reporter at The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus and The Arizona Republic. She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.