We suppose this was inevitable, but that doesn’t make it any less unfortunate. It appears that Hollywood is beginning to shut down over concerns about the COVID-19 coronavirus. Disney announced today that it is halting production on a number of films, including those under its 20th Century Studios and Searchlight Pictures banners.
The live-actionThe Little Mermaidremakewas due to begin filming in London in 10 days under the direction ofRob Marshall(Into the Woods), but that has been postponed. Afterhalting first-unit photography, Marvel’sShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsis now fully shutting down in Australia. Also halting production isRidley Scott’sThe Last DuelstarringMatt Damon,Adam Driver, andBen Affleck, which was due to begin filming in Ireland soon.Guillermo del Toro’s Searchlight filmNightmare Alleyhas been shut down, as has theDisney+ reboot ofHome Alone. Those involved are being sent home while they can ahead of the U.S. government’s partial travel ban, as the world waits to see how this coronavirus situation plays out and as social distancing becomes ever-more important.
Also being shut down are a number of films in pre-production, including Disney’s live-actionPeter PanredoPeter Pan & Wendyand the Disney+Honey I Shrunk the KidssequelShrunk.
What remains to be seen is how long these shutdowns will last, and how that will affect the rollout down the road. Disney has alreadypulled the planned theatrical releasesofMulan,New Mutants, andAntlersover the course of the next month, so those films could conceivably fill gaps that arise later in the year. But these kinds of release calendars—especially for a studio as large as Disney—are planned with extreme precision. Scott was already rushing to getThe Last Duelcompleted in time for its December awards season release, and Marvel’s effects-heavyShang-Chiis due in theaters February 2021.Nightmare Alleydoesn’t yet have a release date but Searchlight was no doubt hoping that film could potentially be completed for an awards season release later this year.
Of course these concerns pale in comparison to the potential loss of human life, and Disney has done the right thing here. And while they’re far from the first—a number of TV productions have already shut down—they certainly won’t be the last. How long until all ongoing film and TV shoots are halted? That will probably inevitably occur sooner rather than later.
For our analysis of the effect that the unprecedented shutdown of all Disney Parks will have,click here.
