The "Maze Runner" movies may be a hit at the box offices, but not everyone is happy with the film's production or its stars. More than 42,000 people have signed a Care2 petition demanding that director Wes Ball and the cast of "Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials" apologize to the Native Americans or the Pueblo community for disrespecting their ancient Indian burial ground while filming in Albuquerque, N.M., according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The petition, launched by 19-year-old Maeve Cunningham, comes after the film's star Dylan O'Brien admitted that he and his cast mates took home rocks and skulls from the burial site despite being given strict orders not to do so. Cunningham's petition asks the cast to apologize and return the stolen artifacts.
"In a disturbing interview on Live with Kelly & Michael, Dylan O'Brien admits that cast members of his film 'Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials' ignored instructions about filming on a Native American site and stole ancient Pueblo artifacts from a filming location outside Albuquerque," the petition reads, according to Care2Petitions. "The Native Americans from that area, the Pueblo people, have spoken out, angered and disrespected.
"While O'Brien plays it for laughs, talking about bringing a Native American curse on the cast, his flip treatment of the crew's actions is outrageous. O'Brien, the film's director, and other crew members involved need to apologize to Pueblo tribal leaders for their behavior and return any artifacts they removed from the site."
The controversy began while O'Brien was making a promotional appearance on "Live With Kelly & Michael," where he admitted to Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan that he and his castmates broke the on-set rules and took things from the filming site.
"We filmed in New Mexico, Albuquerque, in these mountains, this ancient Indian burial ground, I guess, and it hadn't been used for filming ever before," he said during his interview. "[We were told to] respect the grounds. They were really strict about littering and don't take any artifacts, like rocks, skulls, anything like that, and everyone just takes things, obviously."
Cunningham, who has been a big fan of the "Maze Runner" film and book series, told Yahoo! Movies on Tuesday: "Native American rights are important to me, and hearing someone who you have a lot of respect for completely disregard someone else's culture and basic human rights in such a disrespecting manner was just this big letdown for me.
"I think if the cast and crew came out and apologized and returned whatever they took from the site, it would be a huge step forward in helping Native Americans get the respect they deserve and really need in this country."
Producers from 20th Century Fox are "very upset and very embarrassed" by the situation, reported The Daily Mail. The production team has reportedly launched an internal investigation to find what was taken and what needs to be returned.
