AVClub says The CW had to stop the production of its superhero series The Flash after an unnamed crew member tested positive for COVID-19. Citing caution, the studio halted the shoot in Vancouver to perform contact tracing. Cast and crew members are currently in self-isolation. At this time, the studio is reshuffling its production schedule.
This isn’t the first such news, nor will it be the last. Back in March, actor Kristofer Hivju (Game of Thrones) tested positive for COVID-19 while shooting season two of the Netflix fantasy series The Witcher. Producers immediately halted the production and resumed it this August. Early in November, however, the shoot had to stop yet again as several unnamed members of the cast and crew tested positive for the virus. Back in September, production of the latest Batman film had to be halted as well.
COVID-19 presented the entertainment industry with numerous frustrating and possibly devastating challenges. As movie theaters all across the country face bankruptcy, studios are postponing new releases for months while halting their productions due to coronavirus outbreaks on set. Film productions that do resume invest heavily in health and safety measures.
