Anna Daniels
The coronavirus strain known as COVID-19 isn’t going away anytime soon, and the spread of the infection has already been classified as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. This has resulted in the cancellation and postponing of many major film, TV and entertainment events around the world, as well as shutting down certain film and TV productions, or at the very least changing how they operate. Because the updates are coming so fast and fierce, we’ll be keeping an updated list as new coronavirus cancellations and interruptions are announced each day.
Coronavirus Cancellations (Constantly Updated)
We will update this list as required. The dates signify when the cancellation took place with information gathered from various sources, including and especially USA Today and IndieWire, who have been keeping track of the ongoing cancellations and delays.
Variety has an ongoing list of all the movies and TV shows that have halted production for now.
March 13
FX Shuts Down Production on Shows – Adding to the list of productions halting for the time being, Deadline says FX has reeled in Atlanta, Fargo, Snowfall and Y: The Last Man.
Apple TV+ Stopping Production on Active Series – Following the halting of production on The Morning Show, Deadline has word Apple TV+ has now suspended production on the rest of their shows, including See, Servant, For All Mankind, Lisey’s Story, and Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet.
Jimmy Kimmel Live Shuts Down Production – Deadline reports ABC’s late night talk show has finally joined the rest of the late night talk shows in halting production for the time being until the coronavirus situation gets better.
Regal Cinemas Also Reducing Theater Capacity – Following in the footsteps of AMC Theatres locations, Deadline reports Regal Cinemas will also be reducing their auditorium capacity by 50% starting today.
Netflix Shuts Down Production for all Movies and Shows – Entertainment Weekly confirmed that Netflix has suspended production on all their projects, including Stranger Things, until further notice.
Sony Halts Production on Nightingale and Wheel of Time – Variety reports the studio has stopped production on both of the projects that were shooting in Europe. Nightingale was in pre-production and Wheel of Time was shooting in Prague. It is not clear when production will resume.
Disney Stops Production on TV Pilots – Along with stopping film productions, Disney has shut down production on 16 different TV pilots. Get the full list of productions impacted by the coronavirus concerns so far over at Variety.
AMC Theatres Reducing Theater Capacity – Deadline reports the major movie theater chain will be reducing capacity for all of their auditoriums by 50% starting tomorrow March 14 and continuing through April 30, 2020.
Disney Pausing Production on Movies – The Wrap reports Disney is pausing production on titles currently shooting, including The Last Duel, the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid, the Honey, I Shrunk the Kids sequel Shrunk, the Home Alone reboot, Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley and the live-action Peter Pan & Wendy.
Dollywood Closing – Dolly Parton’s theme park in Tennessee is shutting down for at least two weeks starting March 14, the park announced on Twitter.
Six Flags Parks Closing and Delaying Openings – Deadline reports all Six Flags theme parks that are open will be closing until the end of March, and the openings of the seasonal locations will be delayed until at least March 31, possible later.
The Flash, Batwoman, Supergirl and Lucifer Production Halted – Deadline reports production on the DC Comics series from The CW has been halted starting today until further notice. Supergirl and Batwoman have also followed suit. Meanwhile, TV Line has confirmed that Lucifer is halting production as well.
Knott’s Berry Farm Closing Temporarily – Attractions Magazine reports the theme park in Buena Park, California is temporarily closing starting March 14 and will remain closed through the end of the month. The hotel on the premises will remain open during this time.
XFL Cancels the Rest of Inaugural Season – Following the suspension of the rest of all major sports at this time, ESPN reports the XFL has canceled the rest of their first season back. The league was halfway through the season and would have concluded on April 12 before post-season began. It’s not clear if post-season games will still be possible.
March 12
Marvel’s Shang-Chi Production Halted – The Hollywood Reporter has learned that first unit production on Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has been suspended after director Destin Daniel Cretton has chosen to self-quarantine out of an abundance of caution for him and his newborn baby.
NBCUniversal Suspends Production on Most Shows – Deadline has word that NBCUniversal has suspended production on the majority of its TV series across all entertainment production units, Universal Television, UCP, Universal Television Alternative Studios and First Run Syndication productions. Totaling about 35 shows, the list includes Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., Chicago Med, Law & Order: SVU, New Amsterdam, Anyelyne, The Kelly Clarkson Show and many more.
For a list of shows that have halted production so far, head to TV Line.
Universal Studios Theme Park Closing – The Hollywood theme park has announced they will be closing on March 14 and hopes to reopen on March 28. It remains to be seen if that will be possible as the coronavirus pandemic continues. Get more in our full story.
Disneyland Paris and Walt Disney World Closing: The two Disney theme parks are closing their doors from March 15 until April 1. They will monitor the situation and determine whether it’s safe to reopen by that time. Read our full story for more.
Netflix Shuts Down LA Office After Coronavirus Exposure – Deadline says Netflix has shut down their Sunset Blvd office for the time being after one of their employees was confirmed to have been in contact with someone carrying the coronavirus, the employee’s wife. Roughly 1,000 employees were at varying stages of risk, so the office has been closed, and all Netflix employees have been told to work from home for the time being.
Late Night Talk Shows Halt Production – The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert have all halted production for the time being. The shows may return in two weeks, but that’s subject to change as the pandemic develops. There’s no official word on the remaining late night talks shows stopping production, but it’s probably only a matter of time.
Carnival Row Production Halted – In a post from Instagram that appears to have since been deleted, Orlando Bloom announced production of the second season of the Amazon series Carnival Row has stopped in order to allow people to get home before the European travel ban begins today. Deadline posted the news even though the video making the announcement is no longer online.
Warner Bros., Paramount and Sony Stop Studio Tours – One of the major tourist attractions in Los Angeles is tours of studios like Warner Bros. Pictures, Paramount Pictures and Sony Pictures. They take you around the backlot, show of some of their still-standing sets, and give you a Hollywood history lesson. But now they’re all shut down until further notice, according to Deadline.
Apple TV+ and Skydance Television’s Foundation Halts Production – Deadline has word that the adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s sci-fi book series starring Lee Pace and Jared Harris has halted production in Ireland for now. It is not clear when production will resume.
Disney Delays Mulan, New Mutants and Antlers – Disney is postponing the releases of the live-action remake of Mulan, 20th Century Fox’s long-delayed X-Men spin-off The New Mutants, and Fox Searchlight’s horror movie Antlers. No new release dates have been set at this time.
Tribeca Film Festival Postponed – The Tribeca Film Festival, set to take place in Manhattan, New York from April 15 through April 26, has been postponed due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus outbreak. The Hollywood Reporter said it is not clear when/if it will actually get rescheduled.
Upright Citizen Brigade Theatre Closing in LA and NY – Vulture reported all of the UCB imrpov theatre locations, which includes two locations in LA and one in New York, will be closing until further notice.
Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park Closing – Despite staying open today, Disney Parks will be closing Disneyland and Disney California Adventure parks starting on March 14 and lasting through at least the end of the month. Disneyland Resort hotels will remain open through March 16 so families can make travel arrangements. Downtown Disney will remain open and Disney Parks will continue to monitor the ongoing pandemic.
Disneyland has only closed a few times before in history: after September 11, 2001, after the Northridge earthquake in 1994, and for a national day of mourning after the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
NCAA Cancels March Madness – The NCAA has canceled the remaining winter championship basketball games and upcoming spring basketball games, including March Madness.
MLB Delaying Opening Day By Two Weeks – Major League Baseball has announced they will be delaying opening day for this upcoming season by at least two weeks and will continue to monitor the situation to see how the pandemic unfolds. All spring training games have also been canceled. As for how the regular season will proceed in the wake of these events remains to be determined.
WonderCon Has Been Postponed – Variety reported the pop culture convention WonderCon, set to take place from April 10 through April 12 in Anaheim, California, has been postponed by by Comic-Con International. However, as of now San Diego Comic-Con has not been delayed or canceled.
Broadway Closing Entirely – Playbill reported that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has announced that Broadway will be completely shut down starting at 5pm today until at least April 12.
Apple TV+’s The Morning Show Going on Hiatus – The Morning Show was in the middle of shooting its second season on the Sony Pictures lot, but Deadline reported production is going on hiatus for the time being due to the growing concerns of coronavirus, especially after California’s governor recommended canceled any gatherings of 250 people or more.
NHL Suspended 2019-2020 Season – An official statement from the National Hockey League has announced that the 2019-2020 season of hockey will be suspended until further notice. The decision was made after the NBA suspended their season following a Utah Jazz player contracting the virus. Since many professional sports teams share locker rooms, this felt like a necessary decision.
Turner Classic Movies Film Festival Canceled – Deadline reported the classic movie festival set to run from April 16 through April 19 in Hollywood has officially been canceled. All pass holders will receive a 100% refund for their purchase.
Ryan Murphy’s The Prom Stops Production – Deadline has learned Ryan Murphy’s Netflix movie The Prom starring Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman will be halting production out of “an abundance of caution.” The movie would have wrapped in a few days, but an on-location shoot today at a local school was canceled since the establishment closed due to coronavirus concerns. So now the movie will have to wait to wrap until a later date.
Major League Soccer Suspending Season for 30 Days – Deadline has word that Major League Soccer has decided to delay its 25th season for 30 days. The season only just began recently, and MLS will monitor the situation to see how the pandemic continues.
Fast and Furious 9 (F9) Release Delayed to 2021 – Universal Pictures has decided to delay the global release of Fast and Furious 9 by an entire year. It is now slated to open in April 2, 2021 in North America, but specific international dates were not revealed at this time.
The Lovebirds Release Delayed – Variety reported Paramount Pictures has delayed the romantic comedy The Lovebirds starring Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae. Originally slated for release on April 3, the movie now has new release date.
A Quiet Place Part II Release Delayed – The worldwide release delay of A Quiet Place II was reported by Deadline. Originally intended for release overseas starting on March 18 and in the US on March 20, but the movie has yet to be given a new release date. Get more in our full story.
Scott C’s Great Showdowns Gallery Events Canceled – Scott C’s latest art show at Gallery 1988 is canceling all in-gallery events, as well as a planned global scavenger hunt for prints, but will still have scheduled print releases and livestreams.
Universal Television Delays Production on Shows – Deadline reports the second seasons of Netflix’s Russian Doll and AppleTV+’s Little America, as well as the first season of Rutherford Falls for Peacock, have all been delayed due to coronavirus concerns. Most of the shows require international travel, which is largely why the decision was made to delay production start.
Broadway Usher Tests Positive for Coronavirus – A part-time Broadway usher who worked at the productions of Who’s Afraid of Virgina Woolf? at the Booth Theatre between March 3 and March 7 and Six at the Brooks Atkinson on the evening of February 25 and the afternoon of March 1 has tested positive for coronavirus.
Both of the productions will continue, according to Deadline, and the two theater owners, Shubert Organization, owner of the Booth, and the Nederlander Organization, owner of the Brooks Atkinson, said the venues will have a deep cleaning performed. However, if any ticket holders wish to exchange for a future performance instead, they may do so.
March 11
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson Contract Coronavirus – The movie star couple confirmed that they contracted coronavirus while shooting Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis Presley biopic in Australia. The two are now quarantined, and production on the movie has been shut down until further notice.
California Governor Urges Cancellation of Large Gatherings – The Los Angeles Times reported that California Governor Gavin Newsom and state health official are recommending and urging the cancellation of upcoming gatherings of 250 or more people across the entire state in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus. This recommendation does not come with the force of law to stop these events, but that could change if the coronavirus situation continues to get worse.
Hollywood Agencies and Companies Starting to Work Remotely – Deadline reports Hollywood talent agencies like CAA, UTA, ICM Partners and Paradigm are making adjustments to have their employees work from home in order to help slow the spread of coronavirus.
Meanwhile, Viacom, who owns Paramount Pictures, MTV, Comedy Central and more, said they will start testing whether or not they can have their employees also working from home instead of going into offices at this time.
Cinema Con 2020 Canceled – Variety reported the cancellation of CinemaCon 2020, the annual trade show for theater owners from around the world where the latest developments and advances in exhibition, distribution, marketing, publicity, advertising, social media, theater equipment and concessions are showcased. The event was slated to take place from March 30 through April 2.
Here’s the official statement from John Fithian and Mitch Newhauser from the National Association of Theater Owners:
“It is with great regret we are announcing the cancellation of CinemaCon 2020. Each spring, motion picture exhibitors, distributors and industry partners from around the world meet in Las Vegas to share information and celebrate the moviegoing experience. This year, due to the travel ban from the European Union, the unique travel difficulties in many other areas of the world and other challenges presented by the Coronavirus pandemic, a significant portion of the worldwide motion picture community is not able to attend CinemaCon. While local outbreaks vary widely in severity, the global circumstances make it impossible for us to mount the show that our attendees have come to expect. After consultation with our attendees, trade show exhibitors, sponsors, and studio presenters, NATO has decided therefore to cancel CinemaCon 2020. We look forward to continuing the 10-year tradition of presenting the largest movie theater convention in the world and joining our attendees in future celebrations of the moviegoing experience.”
PaleyFest 2020 Postponed – The annual television showcase of some of the biggest and best television shows has been postponed with new dates for the festival yet to be announced. Shows like Modern Family, The Mandalorian, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Boys, Star Trek: Picard, Schitt’s Creek, and more were slated to be featured at the festival, but they will have to wait for the event to be rescheduled. Here’s the full statement from the Paley Center for Media:
“As you are aware, the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to remain of the utmost public concern. For several weeks now, the Paley Center, along with our venue host, The Dolby Theatre, has monitored the situation closely, staying in daily contact with local, state, and federal partners, as well as following the recommendations issued by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and following the guidelines of the local health department. Based on the most recent news and out of an abundance of concern, we have made the difficult decision to postpone this year’s PaleyFest. While we were looking forward to presenting another stellar lineup of PaleyFest events, the safety of our event participants, guests, and staff is the highest priority. We are exploring options to reschedule the festival and all ticket purchases will be honored for the new dates.”
NBA Suspended 2019-20 Basketball Season – The NBA announced the suspension of the current season of basketball after Utah Jazz player Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19. The news came just before the Utah Jazz were set to play an away game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Gameplay will be suspended entirely until further notice and will determine when they can resume play as the coronavirus situation develops.
Talk Shows Avoid Having Studio Audiences – Deadline confirmed New York’s late night network talk shows The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and The Daily Show with Trevor Noah will not have studio audiences for their tapings. In addition, cable talk shows Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and Watch What Happens with Andy Cohen will follow suit.
Los Angeles talk shows have not announced any sweeping changes to their recording plans yet with live audiences, but The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The View and Live With Kelly And Ryan will not film with audiences either. Conan is currently on a two-week hiatus, but their filming plans could easily change in the future.
Riverdale Production Suspended – Production on The CW series was suspended after a person working on the show was recently in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19. Warner Bros. TV told Deadline:
“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,” the statement continued. “The health and safety of our employees, casts and crews is always our top priority. We have and will continue to take precautions to protect everyone who works on our productions around the world.”
Survivor Production Delayed – CBS has delayed the production of the next two seasons of Survivor. As of now the premiere dates for those seasons in September 2020 and February 2021 have not been delayed, but that could change if the production does not begin with enough time to spare. Read our full story on the matter over here
HBO’s Night of Too Many Stars Postponed – USA Today reported the event hosted by Jon Stewart and presented by HBO in partnership with NEXT for AUTISM has been pushed back. The show was slated to take place on April 18 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. No new date has been set yet.
Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards Postponed – Variety reported annual awards show from Nickelodeon where kids pick their favorite movies, TV shows, movie stars, musicians and more has been postponed until further notice. No new date has been set yet.
E3 (The Electronic Entertainment Expo) Canceled – Kotaku reported the tradeshow for video games slated to take place from June 9 through June 11 has been canceled. In place of the event, there will be “an online experience to showcase industry announcements and news in June 2020.”
GLAAD Awards Canceled – The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation announced the cancellation of their awards intended to take place on March 19. It’s not clear if thy will be rescheduled.
Adam Sandler Postpones March Comedy Tour Dates – In a post to Twitter, the comedian announced that March tour dates would be postponed until a later time. It is not clear when they will be rescheduled and more dates could be canceled.
March 10
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Production Halted – The Marvel Studios series was slated to shoot an entire week in Prague, but they stopped before finishing due to spreading coronavirus concerns. It is not clear when and where production will finish the scenes meant to be shot there. Get more in our full story.
Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway Release Delayed – Deadline reported the global release of the children’s movie sequel has been pushed back to August 7 by Sony Pictures.
Game Shows Filming Without Audiences – Deadline reported Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune announced they would be taping episodes without live studio audiences, especially since much of the audiences of those shows consists of older viewers more susceptible to coronavirus.
March 6
SXSW Festival Canceled – The movie, TV, music and tech festival was canceled by the city of Austin one week before the event was slated to begin on March 13. Festival organizers may reschedule the festival, but the cancellation has created severe problems for them, and it might prevent the fest from returning in 2021.
March 4
No Time to Die Global Release Delayed – Sony Pictures made the decision to delay the global release of No Time to Die from April to November. The film will now open in the UK on November 12 and in the US on November 25. Read more in our full story over here.
February 24
Mission: Impossible 7 Production Halted in Italy – After the outbreak worsened significantly in Italy, USA Today reported Paramount Pictures chose to halt production on Mission: Impossible 7. It’s not clear when/if shooting will still take place there in the future.
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