PRODUCTION on blockbuster movies and TV series from some of the biggest and most influential companies in North America has been halted as part of attempts to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus.
On Friday Netflix confirmed that it is pausing scripted TV and film production in both the US and Canada for two weeks due to government restrictions, alongside health and safety precautions.
In a statement, Disney also revealed that “while there have been no confirmed cases of Covid-19 on our productions, after considering the current environment and the best interests of our cast and crew, we have made the decision to pause production on some of our live-action films for a short time.”
It is understood that shows affected include Stranger Things, Grace and Frankie, Sex/Life, and Ryan Murphy’s The Prom for Netflix. A number of high level productions currently in production for Disney will now be disrupted, including the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.
Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings director, Destin Daniel Cretton, has announced he is currently undergoing self-isolating procedures as he waits on the results of a test for Covid-19. First unit production is paused in London as a result.
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Universal has halted production on its live-action films, including Jurassic World: Dominion, and Warner Bros shut down production on Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis biopic after actor Tom Hanks tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The studio also shut down The Batman for two weeks.
“We are working closely with the appropriate Australian health agencies to identify and contact anyone who may have come in direct contact with the individual,” a Warner Bros spokesperson told IndieWire.
“The health and safety of our company members is always our top priority, and we are taking precautions to protect everyone who works on our productions around the world.”
Golden Globe nominated teen drama Euphoria, a remake for Sky of an Israeli show, will also cease production.
Earlier this month it was announced that the latest James Bond movie No Time to Die, co-written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge and due to be released April, had been delayed until November.
Several other films from Disney and other studios, including Universal Pictures and Sony Pictures, have also been held back with Mulan, New Mutants, Antlers, F9, and A Quiet Place II delayed, either till later this year or to an unannounced time. F9 is delayed until April 2021, taking over a spot reserved for the tenth instalment in the Fast and Furious franchise.
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