Ladbible X Whatsapp
  • iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Netflix adds 'lost gem' Tom Cruise movie that saw two people die in plane crash on set

Home> Entertainment> Film

Published 16:36 9 Jun 2025 GMT+1

Netflix adds 'lost gem' Tom Cruise movie that saw two people die in plane crash on set

The Tom Cruise film led to a tragic double death

Michael Slavin

Michael Slavin

Featured Image Credit: Paramount Pictures

Topics: Netflix, Tom Cruise, Pablo Escobar, TV and Film, Film

Michael Slavin
Michael Slavin

Michael Slavin is LADbible's dedicated specialist Film and TV writer. Following his completion of a Masters in International Journalism at Salford University, he began working for the Warrington Guardian as a reporter. Throughout this he did freelance work about Entertainment for publications such as DiscussingFilm, where he was the Film and TV editor. Now, he is LAD's go to voice on all things Netflix, True Crime, and UK TV, as well as interviewing huge global stars such as Jake Gyllenhaal, Daisy Ridley, and Ben Stiller.

X

@michaelslavin98

Advert

Advert

Advert

Netflix have added a ‘lost gem’ Tom Cruise movie the platform, but the production behind the film unfortunately had a tragic backstory.

Cruise is best known for his insane stunts on the Mission Impossible films, many of which were added to Netflix just recently themselves.

Another film has been added starring Cruise and it is based on a true story in which a Medellin cartel pilot ended up becoming an informant for the DEA.

Advert

The film in question added to Netflix is called American Made, and stars Tom Cruise in the true story of a man called Barry Seal.

Seal was a major drug supplier for Pablo Escobar’s Medellin drug cartel before becoming an information for the US government, testifying in several high profile trials.

Cruise stars alongside Domhnall Gleeson, Sarah Wright, and Jesse Plemons with Tom Cruise favourite Doug Liman directing.

Advert

The film was well received when it came out, getting a 7.1 on IMDb and 85% on Rotten Tomatoes as well as making $135 million from a $50 million budget.

Many however feel it didn’t get the dues it deserved, with one fan posting about the film on Reddit saying: “I think there's nothing better on the screen than a strung out Tom Cruise. This is a lost gem.”

Unfortunately, however, there is a tragic production story behind the ‘lost gem’.

The tragic story behind American Made’s production that saw two people die

The film contained a number of flying scenes, one of which led to the deadly crash (Universal)
The film contained a number of flying scenes, one of which led to the deadly crash (Universal)

Advert

The film, which of course involves a great deal of flying scenes, saw a plane being used for filming crash in Colombia.

Happening in September 2015, two pilots, Alan Purwin and Carlos Berl, were killed in the tragic incident.

A third person, Jimmy Lee Garland, was paralysed as a result of the crash.

A spokesperson for Universal released a statement following the incident, released via PEOPLE magazine.

They confirmed the incident, saying: "An aircraft carrying crew members crashed while returning to Enrique Olaya Herrera Airport in Medellin following production wrap on the film [American Made] resulting in two fatalities."

Alan Purwin died in a plane crash during the making of the film (Michael Robinson Chavez via Getty Images)
Alan Purwin died in a plane crash during the making of the film (Michael Robinson Chavez via Getty Images)

Advert

This led to a complicated legal situation in which Purwin’s family sued the film’s producers and Berl’s family, and Berl’s family sued the producers as well as Garland and Purwin’s families.

Berl was an insufficiently experienced pilot, something which Purwin’s estate blamed on producers, though Berl’s family claimed that he had been compelled to fly the plane despite reiterating his lack of experience.

Things were made even more complicated when producers filed a counterclaim against Purwin’s estate, claiming he had purchased a faulty plane.

The complicated legal situation was settled in 2019 when the producers made an out of court settlement, the details of which have not been publicly disclosed.

American Made is available to watch on Netflix now.

  • Netflix adds Tom Cruise cyberpunk film that ‘correctly predicted the future’ over 20 years ago
  • Netflix quietly adds underrated Tom Cruise thriller secretly linked to Jason Statham classic in way you won’t realise
  • Nicole Kidman had special clause inserted into her contract for sex scenes with Tom Cruise in Netflix erotic thriller
  • Tom Cruise passed out during 140mph Mission: Impossible plane stunt that left fans 'wanting to vomit’

Choose your content:

23 mins ago
an hour ago
2 hours ago
  • 23 mins ago

    Liam Neeson and Pamela Anderson give telling answer when asked if dating as they attend premiere together

    The pair star in a new comedy film out Friday

    Entertainment
  • an hour ago

    Netflix releases rare Son of Sam serial killer interview tapes found after 45 years

    The Son of Sam shot and killed six people in random attacks in the 70s

    Entertainment
  • an hour ago

    Viewers spot moment they saw 'real' Bonnie Blue in controversial documentary

    The documentary was met with backlash before it even aired

    Entertainment
  • 2 hours ago

    Ozzy Osbourne revealed his chosen funeral song before death as he ‘didn’t want his f***ing greatest hits’

    The rocker's funeral takes place in Birmingham today

    Entertainment