Entertainment in the Time of Corona: All TV Shows and Films Impacted by the Pandemic
Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks (via Instagram) 
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (via Erin Patrick O’Connor/ The Washington Post 
Riverdale (via The CW)
Hollywood is used to making films about disasters and pandemic outbreaks but now it finds itself in the throes of one.
As the coronavirus continues to spread globally, its impact on the entertainment industry has been deeply felt. What began as precautionary measures, like the cancelation of the SXSW film festival, has avalanched to total shutdowns of television and film production across the world. Movie theater chains like AMC are mandating a ‘no more than 50% capacity’ rule. Some early season tentpole films like Paramount’s A Quiet Place Part 2 and Disney’s live-action Mulan were pulled from the schedule.
The seriousness of the virus’s impact probably hit its moment of being ‘real’ when Academy Award-winning actor Tom Hanks and his wife, actress and singer Rita Wilson, publicly announced that they had both tested positive for the virus while Hanks was in Australia in pre-production of Baz Luhrmann’s as of yet untitled Elvis biopic. Hanks plays Elvis’s manager Colonel Tom Parker. Production on that film, which was set to start principal photography on Monday, was immediately shut down. UPDATE: Hanks and Wilson have been released from the hospital. Luther and Thor actor Idris Elba revealed on Monday via Twitter that he had tested positive for COVID-19 despite no detectable symptoms.
Last week, late night and daytime talk shows began airing without their live studio audiences, to awkward results, and some have pulled the plug on productions entirely. Broadway went dark, closing all productions for the time being. Netflix, Amazon and Apple have shut down all productions. The CW’s Riverdale was one of the first television show’s to halt production when a crew member tested positive for the virus.
UPDATE: In the wake of AMC and Regal Theaters closing their doors for up to “6 to 12 weeks,” Universal Pictures has chosen to release Trolls: World Tour day and date in theaters and home entertainment on April 10 and are making its current releases The Hunt and The Invisible Man (plus Emma. from Focus Features) available to stream for $19.99 beginning March 20.
Here is an ongoing and updated list of all television and film productions impacted by the coronavirus. Descriptions provided by Variety.
TV
“All Rise” – Currently in its freshman season on CBS, “All Rise” has suspended production for the moment.
“The Amazing Race” – Production on season 33 of the show has been temporarily shut down amid the increasing number of cases of coronavirus worldwide. CBS said the move was undertaken “out of an abundance of caution,” as the respiratory virus has not impacted anyone directly involved with the show.
“America’s Got Talent” and “Family Feud” – Live audiences have been suspended for these two Fremantle series. The company released a statement that explained, “Due to the ongoing global situation around Covid-19, we have been working closely with our production teams and network partners to take measures to help minimize the risk of exposure to our cast, crew and live audiences.”
“American Crime Story: Impeachment” – The story of impeachment of Bill Clinton — with Beanie Feldstein as Monica Lewinsky and Sarah Paulson as Linda Tripp — was in prep, and set to start production in April. It has been put on pause.
“Atlanta” – Production on the new season of the critically acclaimed Donald Glover series has been put on hold.
“The Bachelorette” – “The Bachelor” may have just ended, but fans could have to wait a little longer than usual to see the next season of “The Bachelorette,” given that the competition series has suspended production.
“Batwoman” – The CW show is one of the fast growing list of shows to temporarily halt its production under the threat of the Coronavirus.
“The Bold Type” – Though Freeform hasn’t confirmed, actor Meghann Fahy posted to Instagram that “The Bold Type” has shut down.
“Bull” – The series has currently aired 16 episodes of its fourth season, but the decision has been made to stop production for the time being.
“Carnival Row” – Star Orlando Bloom revealed that production on season 2 of the Amazon series, which was taking place in Budapest, has been halted. Bloom noted in an Instagram video that he was being sent home to the United States as a result.
“Chicago Fire,” “Chicago Med,” and “Chicago P.D.” – All three Dick Wolf dramas have halted production effective immediately.
“Claws” – The TNT series has halted production on its fourth and final season.
“Dynasty” – According to sources to sources close the production, the CW series has suspended production.
“The Ellen Show” – Ellen DeGeneres announced herself via Twitter that her talk show was suspending production completely until March 30.
“Euphoria” – Production on the second season of the HBO show was about to begin, but has been delayed.
“The Daily Show with Trevor Noah” and “Lights Out with David Spade” – Both are suspending production. According to Comedy Central, “Our top priority is the safety of our guests and staff…We will continue to closely monitor the situation per guidance issued by the CDC and public health authorities and hope to return Monday, March 30th.”
“Fargo” – The upcoming fourth installment of “Fargo” has stopped production.
“FBI” – The CBS series, which is produced by Universal Television, is one of those that has taken the precaution of shutting down production.
“Fear the Walking Dead” – Unlike its originator, “Fear the Walking Dead” was already in production, however, it will now take an extended hiatus.
“The Flash” – The CW series, currently in its sixth season, has shut down production due to the outbreak. A source close to the production confirmed the news.
“The Flight Attendant” – The forthcoming HBO Max series from “Big Bang Theory” alum Kaley Cuoco has halted production, according to sources.
“For All Mankind” – Season 2 of the Sony Pictures TV-produced series has stopped production.
“Foundation” – The forthcoming series based on the book of the same name by Isaac Asimov has stopped shooting.
“Full Frontal With Samantha Bee” – TBS released a statement announcing that the show is “going on hiatus and will be dark the week of March 16,” after the CBS production offices and studios where it shoots became “compromised.”
“General Hospital” – ABC has announced that the soap opera would suspend production as of Monday, March 16 until Friday, April 10. But because the show shoots so far ahead, ABC does “not anticipate an interruption in the broadcast of original episodes.”
“Genius: Aretha” – Production on the Nat Geo series which stars Cynthia Erivo as the queen of soul has been postponed for at least three weeks.
“The Goldbergs” and “Schooled” – The two Sony shows for ABC were among the last network holdouts to shut production down. As of Friday, they still planned to shoot next week. But Saturday, Sony decided to stop shooting after all.
“God Friended Me” – The CBS series has suspended production.
“The Good Fight” – Shooting on the upcoming fourth season of the CBS All Access legal drama has been suspended, according to sources with knowledge of the production.
“Grace and Frankie” – Shooting on the final season of Netflix’s “Grace and Frankie” has been halted “to ensure the safety of our cast and crew,” per a statement from the show’s producer Skydance Television.
“Grey’s Anatomy” – On Thursday, March 12, the executive producers of “Grey’s Anatomy” sent this email to its cast and crew: “Out of an abundance of caution, production is postponed on Grey’s Anatomy effective immediately. We are going home now for at least two weeks and waiting to see how the coronavirus situation evolves. This decision was made to ensure the health and safety of the whole cast and crew and the safety of our loved ones outside of work, and it was made in accordance with Mayor Garcetti’s suggestion that we not gather in groups of more than 50. Stay safe, stay healthy, stay hydrated, stay home as much as possible, and wash your hands frequently. Please take care of yourselves and each other. As updates come in, we will keep you informed. Thank you for all that you do! Krista, Debbie, & James.” The series has reportedly shot 21 of the planned 25 episodes for its 16th season.
“Home & Family” – The Hallmark Channel weekday talk show, which films on the Universal lot, has shut down. Producer Crown Media issued this statement: “We plan to air encore episodes at this time, and we will continue to monitor the situation with the CDC and state officials to determine the best time to return and produce new episodes of ‘Home & Family.’”
“Jimmy Kimmel Live” – On Friday, March 13, ABC issued a statement saying that in the “best interest of the staff and crew to suspend production on the show beginning Monday, March 16. We will continue to monitor this and hope to be back on the air with new shows Monday, March 30.”
“Kevin Can F— Himself” – The new AMC series is in pre-production, and now physical production has been pushed back by three to four weeks, according to sources.
“Kung Fu” – A reboot of the cult 1970s series, this CW pilot has been pushed to a later date, according to sources.
“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” – After a shortened episode airing on Sunday, John Oliver and his shows are going on a temporary hiatus.
“The Late Late Show With James Corden” – Corden’s CBS show decided to follow every other late night show on TV and suspend is shooting schedule.
“The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” – The CBS late night show has gone on hiatus, issuing a statement saying, the show has “postponed production on the three original episodes scheduled for next week, which lead into a previously scheduled hiatus. We will continue to monitor the situation closely with plans to return on Monday, March 30.”
“Law & Order: SVU” – Production has ceased temporarily on the long-running series.
“Lisey’s Story” -Produced by Warner Bros. and J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot, the Clive Owen and Julianne Moore show has been forced to call it quits, for now.
“Loki,” “Falcon and the Winter Solider,” and “WandaVision” – Marvel Studios has hit the pause button on its three Disney Plus shows currently in production. Pre-production on the other Marvel shows at the streamer will continue remotely, according to sources.
“Lucifer” – The Tom Ellis-led series has ceased production for the time being.
“Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet” – Hailing from “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” creator Rob McElhenney, the new comedy debuted its first season last month, but has now been forced to stop production.
“The Morning Show” – Media Res, the studio behind the buzzy Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon series, has announced season 2 production will go on a two-week hiatus with immediate effect. Sources close to the production say that no one from the cast or crew is sick, has exhibited symptoms or has tested positive for the Coronavirus, but that the decision to shut down production was taken out of concern for those working on the show. “In concert with our dedicated partners at Apple, we have concluded it would be prudent to take a two-week hiatus to assess the situation and ensure the safety of the incredible people who make this show,” said Media Res founder and CEO Michael Ellenberg in a statement.
“NCIS,” “NCIS: Los Angeles” and “NCIS New Orleans” – According to sources, shooting has been temporarily halted on all three “NCIS” shows.
“New Amsterdam” – Add “New Amsterdam” to the growing list of procedurals which have shut up shop due to the virus outbreak.
“Pennyworth” – Season 2 of the Epix series has closed down production.
“The Price Is Right” and “Card Sharks” – Production has halted on the hit daytime game show, Fremantle announced, because the company is taking measures to minimize the risk of exposure. The format of the show, which sees host Drew Carey calling audience members to “come on down” and play the game relies on having in-studio guests, so the show simply could not go on without a live audience. For similar reasons, the company said it is also postponing production for the second season of its primetime reboot of “Card Sharks,” which was originally supposed to return to ABC’s lineup this summer.
“Queen Sugar” – The OWN shows had just started production on season 5.
“Real Time With Bill Maher” – Beginning Friday, March 13 the HBO late-night series is forgoing its live in-studio audience.
“Righteous Gemstones” – The second season of the Danny McBride HBO comedy has shut down production.
“Riverdale” – Warner Bros. TV pulled the production plug on the CW show after a member of the production came into contact with someone who recently tested positive for the coronavirus. The series was in the process of shooting its fourth season in Vancouver. “We are working closely with the appropriate authorities and health agencies in Vancouver to identify and contact all individuals who may have come into direct contact with our team member,” read a statement from a WB TV spokesperson.
“See” – Production on season 2 of the Apple TV Plus series with Jason Momoa has been halted.
“Servant” – The M. Night Shyamalan thriller was part of Apple’s shutdown of all shows produced by external studios.
“Sex/Life” – The upcoming Sarah Shahi series has suspended production.
“Snowfall” – Season 4 of “Snowfall” is also among the FX series affected by the Coronavirus.
“Snowpiercer” – The TNT drama, based on Bong Joon Ho’s 2013 movie, has shut down production.
“Stranger Things” – As part of Netflix’s mass scripted shutdown, “Stranger Things” has halted production on season 4. The cast posted a widely shared video from their table read last week.
“Supergirl” – The list of CW superhero shows that have shutdown includes “Batwoman,” “The Flash,” and now “Supergirl.”
“Superman and Lois” – The new CW series was supposed to shoot a pilot, however, sources say that plan has now been scrapped, and the series will go into production later this year as originally scheduled.
“Supernatural” – Warner Bros. shuttered production on the long-running CW series’ final season.
“Superstore” – America Ferrera confirmed on her Instagram that the show shut down on Friday. “Today is unexpectedly my last day shooting on ‘Superstore’ for this season,” Ferrera said. “We are shutting down production, as they are all shows on the Universal lot.” The finale was meant to be Ferrera’s send-off episode, but she hinted she might be coming back “when things clear up to finish Amy’s storyline.”
“Survivor” – CBS made the decision to delay production on season 41 of the competition series, which was set to begin filming later this month in Fiji.
“Tamron Hall” – The talk show is suspending production beginning March 16, and said in a statement that it hopes “to be back on the air with new shows as soon as possible.”
“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and “Late Night with Seth Meyers” – Both NBC late night shows are suspending production through their previously planned hiatus, which was scheduled for the week of March 23. They had previously planned to shoot without an audience.
Untitled “Goonies” pilot – Fox’s meta “Goonies” project — in which a schoolteacher returns to her depressed hometown and “agrees to help three students who are pursuing their filmmaking dreams by putting on an impossibly ambitious shot-for-shot remake of one of the student’s favorite movies, ‘The Goonies.’” — has shut down production.
Untitled Ted Danson/Tina Fey Comedy – The upcoming NBC series, in which Danson plays a wealthy businessman who runs for mayor of Los Angeles, has suspended its production.
“Varsity Blues” – The Quibi adaptation of the 1999 film hadn’t started production yet, but has been delayed.
“The Walking Dead” – Production on the massive AMC series is being delayed by three to four weeks, according to sources.
“The Wendy Williams Show” – Production on the syndicated talk show has been suspended “indefinitely.” It will air repeats.
“Wheel of Time” – The Prague shoot for the Amazon series has been halted.
“Y: The Last Man” – The Toronto production of FX’s post-apocalyptic drama series has shut down for at least two weeks.
“Young Sheldon” – The widely watched CBS shows has stopped production, along with a vast array of other shows.
PILOTS
Disney has shut down production on 16 different pilots that were being produced under its umbrella of studios. Here are the prospective shows whose production has been suspended for at least three weeks:
“Adopted,” “The Big Sky,” “The Brides,” “Harlem’s Kitchen,” “Home Economics,” “Kids Matter Now,” “My Village,” “Prospect,” “Rebel,” “Thirtysomething(else),” “Valley Trash,” “Work Wife,” “Wreckage,” and Untitled Kapnek/Holland Project – all at ABC
“Ordinary Joe” – at NBC
“The Big Leap” – at Fox
FILM
“Avatar” Sequels – Production on the three planned “Avatar” sequels in New Zealand has been “postponed until further notice.” A group of the franchise’s execs were scheduled to fly over to New Zealand on March 20, but they will now remain in Los Angeles and plan to return to the studios in Wellington where shooting is taking place later this year.
“The Batman” – Warner Bros. has suspended production on Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” for two weeks. The film had been shooting on a soundstage with plans to move to Liverpool, and the company thought it was best to go on hiatus during the location change.
“Black Widow,“ “The Personal History of David Copperfield“ and “The Woman in the Window” – The Marvel superhero adventure, starring Scarlett Johansson, was slated to hit theaters May 1. The studio also pulled “The Personal History of David Copperfield,” from its Searchlight banner, and “The Woman in the Window,” a 20th Century title, which were supposed to debut May 8 and April 15, respectively. It’s unclear when any of the films will be released.
“Birds of Paradise” – The ballet drama at Amazon has shuttered its production for the time being. Director Sarah Adina Smith shared the news via social media, saying that the production was six days away from wrapping.
“Fantastic Beasts 3” – With production expected to start on Monday in the U.K., Warner Bros. has postponed the third installment of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”
“Flint Strong” – Another Universal film, this boxing drama stars Ice Cube and Ryan Destiny. It’s set to be directed by the feature directing debut of Rachel Morrison, the “Black Panther” cinematographer who made history with her Oscar nomination for “Mudbound,” a first for a woman DP.
“Home Alone” – Another upcoming Disney pic whose production has been delayed.
“Jurassic World: Dominion” – The third in the new “Jurassic” series had been shooting in London since February, but has been shut down as part of Universal’s across the board shutterings. It is scheduled to release in June 2021, but the disruption might change that.
“The Last Duel” – The Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Ridley Scott film is scheduled for a Dec. 25 release date, and it is unknown whether that will be affected by the production halting.
“The Little Mermaid” – Fans will likely have to wait a little while longer to be transported under the sea, as Disney has indefinitely postponed production on the live-action remake.
“The Man From Toronto” – This Sony action-comedy with Kevin Hart, which on March 10 had replaced Jason Statham with Woody Harrelson, has paused the production start for the movie.
“Matrix 4” – Warner Bros. shuttered production on “The Matrix” as the coronavirus pandemic continues to spread. The film had moved from San Francisco to Berlin and was preparing to shoot the week of March 16 in Germany, but chose to hold off.
“Mission Impossible: 7” – The seventh edition in the iconic Tom Cruise film franchise was scheduled to shoot for three weeks in Venice, Italy. However, given that the entire country is currently on lockdown, Paramount Pictures has delayed the Italian leg of its production plans for the highly anticipated action pic.
“The Nightingale” – Sony’s Dakota and Elle Fanning pic has suspended its production, which was taking place in Budapest.
“Nightmare Alley” – Guillermo del Toro’s upcoming pic is one the productions that Disney has put a temporary stopper in.
“Official Competition” – The Penelope Cruz and Antonio Banderas movie has suspended its shoot in Madrid, according to it production outfit The Mediapro Studio.
“Peter Pan & Wendy” – Hopefully this Disney film hasn’t been sent to Neverland because its production has been shut down.
“The Prom” – Ryan Murphy’s big screen adaptation of the Broadway musical has been forced to abandon production for the time being.
“Red Notice” – Netflix has placed “Red Notice,” starring Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot and Ryan Reynolds, on a two-week hiatus. The film had been shooting all over the world and recently moved to Atlanta.
“Samaritan” – MGM’s Sylvester Stallone thriller is going on a minimum two-week hiatus to keep safe. The production had been shooting in Atlanta.
“Shang-Chi” – The Marvel movie suspended production because director Destin Daniel Cretton wasn’t feeling well, and was told by a doctor to self-isolate while he waited for the result of a COVID-19 test.
“Shrine” – a horror thriller from Screen Gems, shut down for a four-week hiatus. It’s the directorial debut from screenwriter Evan Spiliotopoulos, starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Earlier on Saturday, Mark Duplass, had shamed Sony on Twitter for not shutting down (Duplass’s wife Katie Aselton co-stars). The production, underway since February, had been in meetings for several days prior to the Duplass tweet over how to fully pause filming, one insider said.
“Shrunk” – Disney has halted production on almost all its live-action films, and this “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” sequel is on the list.
“Uncharted” – The Sony big screen adaptation of the popular video game has hit pause on its pre-production for at least a six week period, as the entertainment industry heads into uncharted waters due to the coronavirus.
Untitled Billy Eichner/Nick Stoller/Judd Apatow project – This queer romantic comedy, one of the first by a major studio, was set to begin filming in April. Universal has confirmed that production has been delayed.
Untitled Elvis project – On Wednesday, March 11, Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson self-quarantined after announcing they had both tested positive for the coronavirus. The Baz Luhrmann directed feature has been halted.
“Vengeance” – B.J. Novak’s directorial debut has been put on a two-week hiatus. Details have been kept under wraps, but Novak, Issa Rae, Ashton Kutcher and Boyd Holbrook are set to star in it.
He is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, accredited by the Cannes Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and more, is a member of the International Cinephile Society (ICS), The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics (GALECA), Hollywood Critics Association (HCA) and the International Press Academy. Among his many achieved goals with AwardsWatch, he has given a platform to underrepresented writers and critics and supplied them with access to film festivals and the industry and calls the Bay Area his home where he lives with his husband and son.
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