The coronavirus has now officially been categorized as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization, and the number of cases continues to rise, with more than 124,000 people diagnosed with COVID-19 so far. As more and more people are taking efforts to slow the continued spread of the disease across the world, particularly amid travel restrictions and health advisories, a growing number of TV, film, and other entertainment productions have been impacted — including SXSW, E3, and Coachella.
As musicians cancel tour dates, and organizers determine how to handle the health concerns surrounding the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan, some companies are taking preventative measures to avoid potentially exposing their members and the public to the disease. CAA, one of the largest talent agencies in the world, has mandated that all meetings between clients and agents be virtual, and airlines saw a major drop in bookings as people steered clear of air travel in the midst of this crisis.
Even some of the most famous faces in America have been affected. On Wednesday, March 11, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson became the first celebrities to be confirmed positive with the virus. They were shortly followed by Utah Jazz basketball player Rudy Gobert.
Read on for a roundup of all of the entertainment-related events that have been canceled, postponed, or otherwise affected by the outbreak so far.
JUMP TO: Television, Movies, Sports, Entertainment Events
Russian Doll, Little America, and Rutherford Falls
On March 12, Universal Television reportedly delayed production on three of its series as a result of the coronavirus pandemic: Russian Doll Season 2 at Netflix, Little America Season 2 at Apple, and Rutherford Falls at Peacock. Per Deadline, the shows were not yet in production at the time of the decision, and writing and casting will continue on as planned.
Celebrity Race Across the World
Production on this BBC One travel reality show was postponed on March 12 as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. The show, a spin-off of Race Across the World, will feature four celebrities who race a friend or family member around the globe without air travel or other modern elements like cell phones or credit cards.
In a statement to Deadline, a BBC Spokesperson said, “Celebrity Race Across the World involves contestants travelling across a number of different countries, and given that official advice in relation to specific countries is continually changing in line with the spread of Covid-19, Studio Lambert has decided to delay production on this series in consultation with and supported by the BBC. We will continue to review all productions on a case by case basis following the latest news and advice from the Foreign Office, World Health Organisation and Public Health England.”
Little Fires Everywhere Premiere
TV Guide has confirmed that Hulu has opted to cancel the premiere event of its new series Little Fires Everywhere, starring and executive produced by Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington. The premiere screening and party were scheduled to take place March 12 in Los Angeles.
The network released a statement regarding the cancellation, saying, “As you are all aware, the current state of affairs has altered the daily lives of many people, including our cast and crew. After hearing from many of you, and out of an abundance of caution, we are canceling tomorrow’s Little Fires Everywhere premiere screening and celebration. We are extremely proud of this series and can’t wait to share it with you when it debuts on Hulu on March 18. Thank you for your understanding.”
On March 11, producers of Ellen, the most popular daytime talk show, revealed its plans to forego a live studio audience, beginning Monday, March 16. The show had already filmed episodes to air through Friday, March 13.
“With the rapidly changing nature of the COVID-19 outbreak, and out of concern for our audience attending The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Telepictures will suspend audience attendance during tapings effective Monday, March 16,” a spokesperson for Telepictures said in a statement to Deadline. “This temporary measure will be reviewed on an ongoing basis and will not impact the production schedule of Ellen.“
Production shut down on the Vancouver-based teen soap on March 11 after a crew member came into contact with a coronavirus patient, TV Guide has learned.
“We have been made aware that a team member from Riverdale, which is produced in Vancouver, was recently in contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19. The team member is currently receiving medical evaluation,” said a Warner Bros. TV spokesperson in a statement. “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 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. Out of an abundance of caution, production on Riverdale is currently suspended.”
KJ Apa, Camila Mendes, Cole Sprouse, and Lili Reinhart, Riverdale
Today is one of several New York City productions to go without a live studio audience. NBC News announced on March 11 that the morning news program would forego its standard audience.
“The safety of our guests and employees is our top priority,” the statement read. “As a precautionary measure, starting tomorrow, Thursday, March 12, we have decided to suspend live audiences for TODAY and TODAY with Hoda & Jenna & Friends. Per guidance from New York City officials, the company is hoping to do its part to help to decrease the rate of transmission in our communities. Our shows will continue filming on their regular schedule, and currently, there will be no impact on air dates.”
New York-based late night shows
New York-based late-night shows are also taking extra precautions by eliminating live audiences, according to Deadline. The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Full Frontal With Samantha Bee, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, and The Daily Show With Trevor Noah will film without a studio audience starting Sunday, March 15. As of now, NYC staple Saturday Night Live will continue taping with an audience, as well as LA-based shows Jimmy Kimmel Live, Late Late Show with James Corden, and A Little Late with Lilly Singh.
Like other programs with live audiences, The View is also being affected by the coronavirus known as COVID-19. The popular ABC talk show is now filming without a studio audience, a first for the program. “This is unprecedented, this has never happened on The View,” Whoopi Goldberg said, noting that even after the show returned following 9/11, it still featured a live audience.
The coronavirus situation is still developing and for the first time ever at @TheView, we made the decision not to have a studio audience. We look forward to our fans returning to join us in the studio in the future! pic.twitter.com/BNXK098W0s
— The View (@TheView) March 11, 2020
Survivor just kicked off Season 40 a few weeks before the coronavirus was deemed a pandemic, but the coronavirus has stalled production on Season 41 and Season 42. Entertainment Weekly obtained a letter host and executive producer Jeff Probst sent to Survivor crew members that confirmed the show would not begin filming the new seasons on March 18 in Fiji. The production has been postponed until approximately May 19, according to the letter, but that is subject to change with regards to progress in containing the COVID-19 outbreak. The delay may not affect the show’s premiere plans, however, because Probst also said that when filming is cleared to begin, the plan is still to film both seasons back to back.
Amber Brkich Mariano, Jeff Probst, Survivor: Winners at War
NeXt
A crew member who worked on Fox’s upcoming science-fiction drama NeXt has tested positive for the coronavirus. Per Variety, the studio and production company are now investigating which members of the cast and crew may have been exposed to the patient before the show wrapped production in Chicago in early March.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
Disney+ shut down production on its Marvel series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier in Prague on March 10 because the country’s government placed restrictions on travel, events, and closed its schools due to COVID-19 concerns, Deadline reported. A spin-off of the Captain America and the Avengers movies, the new action series stars Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan in the title roles and had been shooting in Atlanta before going to Europe. The cast and crew returned to Atlanta when Disney halted production. No word yet on if the show will revisit Prague to finish shooting.
Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune
TV’s most iconic game shows will be filming without live audiences as well.Variety reported on March 9 that both shows would be filming through mid-April and will go without a live audience for the filming stretch. The decision was made not only to protect audience guests but also Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, who is immunocompromised due to his Stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis.
Quibi Launch Event
The streaming service set to debut in April from Jeffrey Katzenberg and former eBay CEO Meg Whitman has canceled their LA launch event “out of an abundance of caution” amid the growing threat of COVID-19, according to multiple reports. Quibi was set to have a launch party in Los Angeles on April 5, the day before the official launch of the service on April 6.
Production on The Bachelorette Season 16, which will feature Clare Crawley as the Bachelorette, has not been suspended in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. However, Variety reported on March 2 that the show initially planned to shoot portions of the upcoming season in Italy, but those plans have since been changed in the wake of the epidemic. Another, as-yet-unnamed international destination may be chosen instead.
Chris Harrison and Clare Crawley, The Bachelor
CBS’s hit reality competition series shut down production on Season 33 on Feb. 28. The series had already filmed three episodes and saw contestants visit Scotland and England. It’s currently unknown when production will resume.
The Amazing Race Season 33 Production Shut Down Amidst Corona Virus Concerns
JUMP TO: Television, Movies, Sports, Entertainment Events
A Quiet Place II
The release of A Quiet Place II, the sequel to the hit 2018 horror film, will be delayed as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. The film was originally scheduled for release in the U.K. and Australia on March 19 and in North America on March 20.
Director John Krasinski confirmed the news in an Instagram note to fans. “One of the things I’m most proud of is that people have said our movie is one you have to see all together,” Krasinski wrote. “Well due to the ever-changing circumstances of what’s going on in the world around us, now is clearly not the right time to do that. As insanely excited as we are for all of you to see this movie … I’m gonna wait to release the film til we CAN all see it together.”
Baz Luhrmann’s untitled Elvis Presley film
While on location in Australia for Baz Luhrmann‘s untitled Elvis Presley film, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were both diagnosed with coronavirus, the couple revealed on social media on March 11. According to social media posts from their sons, Hanks and Wilson are doing well. However, production on the film has been temporarily halted in the wake of the news. As detailed by the Daily Mail, Luhrmann sent a letter to the cast and crew, writing, “We request all cast and crew stay at home today and not come to work. All work activity on the production is cancelled and will not resume until further notice.”
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson
Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway
Peter Rabbit fans will have to wait a bit longer for the sequel film. Sony decided to push back the release of Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway from early April to Aug. 7, Deadline reported on March 10. The film was originally supposed to debut in select spots around Europe in March before coming out in the U.S. in April to line up with the Easter holiday.
Slay the Dragon
Slay the Dragon, Magnolia’s new documentary about a group of local voters and ordinary citizens fighting back against gerrymandering in 2018 midterms elections, is delayed a month due to coronavirus. The film will now open on April 3 in theaters instead of its original March 13 release date and will also be available on VOD and digital platforms in the wake of the outbreak, according to Variety.
No Time to Die
For those hoping to see Daniel Craig back in action as Agent 007, you’re in for a bit of a wait. The film’s official release date was pushed back several months, the film’s official Twitter account confirmed. No Time to Die will now be released on Thursday, Nov. 12 in the U.K. and Wednesday, Nov. 25 worldwide. Even so, Craig still showed up to host Saturday Night Live as scheduled and even offered fans a fake clip from the film.
The film will be released in the U.K. on November 12, 2020 with worldwide release dates to follow, including the US launch on November 25, 2020.
— James Bond (@007) March 4, 2020
Red Notice
Netflix’s forthcoming heist flick starring Dwayne Johnson was reportedly considering alternate shooting locations amid a spike in new cases in Italy, according to a March 1 report from Deadline. While most of the film will be shot in Atlanta, a portion of the project was expected to be shot on location in Italy. In addition to Johnson, the movie also stars Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot.
Mission Impossible 7
The seventh installment of the Tom Cruise-fronted franchise halted production on a planned three-week shoot in Venice on Feb. 24. “Out of an abundance of caution for the safety and well-being of our cast and crew, and efforts of the local Venetian government to halt public gatherings in response to the threat of coronavirus, we are altering the production plan for our three-week shoot in Venice, the scheduled first leg of an extensive production for Mission: Impossible 7,” a spokesperson for Paramount told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement. “During this hiatus we want to be mindful of the concerns of the crew and are allowing them to return home until production starts. We will continue to monitor this situation, and work alongside health and government officials as it evolves.”
JUMP TO: Television, Movies, Sports, Entertainment Events
SEC Tournament
The Southeastern Conference has announced that the remaining games in the 2020 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament will be canceled. In a statement shared with Sports Illustrated on March 12, the organization said, “Based on the latest developments and the continued spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the Southeastern Conference today announced the cancellation of the remainder of the 2020 Men’s Basketball Tournament in Nashville.”
Major League Soccer
After Sports Illustrated reported that Major League Soccer would suspend its season until further notice, starting March 12, the league issued a statement on social media confirming the news. In a tweet, MLS revealed that it “has suspended match play for 30 days, effective immediately, as the league continues to assess the impact of COVID-19 with its medical task force and public health officials. At the appropriate time, the league and clubs will communicate plans for the continuation of the 2020 season and update the status of league events.”
Major League Soccer Suspends Season for 30 Days pic.twitter.com/P0HEPmsnkx
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 12, 2020
NBA Season
CBS Sports reported that the NBA has opted to suspend the current season of play due to coronavirus concerns after a Utah Jazz player, Rudy Gobert, tested positive for the virus. “The NBA is suspending game play following the conclusion of tonight’s schedule of games until further notice,” the NBA said via a press release. “The NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.”
Rudy Gobert
March Madness College Basketball Tournament
Are you ready for March Mildness? The famed NCAA College Basketball tournament will be a lot less raucous, as NCAA president Mark Emmert announced Wednesday, March 11, that both the men’s and women’s tournaments, scheduled to begin March 17, will only be attended by essential staff and family of the players. The Ivy League canceled its conference tournament outright.
JUMP TO: Television, Movies, Sports, Entertainment Events
TCM Classic Film Festival
TCM announced on March 12 that it has canceled the TCM Classic Film Festival for this year. In a statement posted to its website, TCM announced, “The health and safety of attendees are always our priority at any TCM event. In light of the increasing public health concerns related to coronavirus and after consultation with our internal and external partners, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 TCM Classic Film Festival.” TCM host Ben Mankiewicz said in an accompanying YouTube video, “We didn’t feel we could ask all of you in good conscience to come to Los Angeles for the festival.” He also confirmed that festival passholders will receive a 100% refund for their purchases and that exhibitors who were expected to attend have been asked to return for the 2021 TCM Classic Film Festival instead.
CinemaCon
The National Association of Theatre Owners canceled CinemaCon 2020 on March 12. The event would have taken place between March 30 and April 2 in Las Vegas and would have featured distributors and exhibitors presenting upcoming films as a preview for the summer season. In a statement posted to social media, the organization explained, “This year, due to the travel ban from the European Union, the unique travel difficulties in many other areas of the world & other challenges presented by the Coronavirus pandemic, a significant portion of the worldwide motion picture community is not able to attend. 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.”
Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards
Deadline reported that Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards, previously scheduled for Sunday, March 22 at the Forum in Inglewood, CA, will not occur. The decision to postpone the show was made “in consideration of the safety and well-being of every person involved with the show” according to a statement from Nickelodeon. The network has not yet chosen a date for the rescheduled event.
PaleyFest LA 2020
PaleyFest LA 2020 has been postponed indefinitely amidst coronavirus concerns. The festival was set to honor shows like The Boys, Schitt’s Creek, and Outlander among others. A spokesperson for the Paley Center for Media confirmed the news on Wednesday, March 11 and said tickets would be honored at the yet-to-be-determined later dates.
“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,” read the statement sent to TV Guide. “We are exploring options to reschedule the festival and all ticket purchases will be honored for the new dates.”
Noah Reid, Dan Levy, Schitt’s Creek
GLAAD Media Awards
The annual gala hosted by GLAAD to celebrate LGBTQ activists, leaders, and allies has also postponed due to coronavirus concerns. The event “will no longer occur [March 19] following new guidance from the New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo around COVID-19,” the organization said in a statement to Variety.
ACE Comic Con Northeast
ACE Comic Con canceled its upcoming Northeast convention, which was to be held March 20-22 in Boston, Massachusetts. Actors Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Tessa Thompson, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ewan McGregor, and Keri Russell, among others were scheduled to attend. Event organizers are now working to reschedule the event for a later date and attendees can expect to be refunded within 30 days.
NAB Show
The annual Las Vegas conference hosted by the National Association of Broadcasters was set to start April 18 but was canceled on Wednesday amidst COVID-19 concerns.
“In the interest of addressing the health and safety concerns of our stakeholders and in consultation with partners throughout the media and entertainment industry, we have decided not to move forward with NAB Show in April. We are currently considering a number of potential alternatives to create the best possible experience for our community,” Gordon H. Smith, president and CEO of the event, said in a statement on the National Association of Broadcasters website.
E3 2020
The Electronic Entertainment Expo has been canceled due to concerns about the coronavirus, as detailed by GameSpot. The annual video game conference, one of the biggest of the entire gaming industry, was scheduled to take place in Los Angeles in June, but the Entertainment Software Association is reportedly now exploring options for an online conference sometime in the summer instead.
Cannes Film Festival
As other major entertainment gatherings are being shuttered in the wake of coronavirus, all eyes are on France to see if the prestigious Cannes Film Festival will go on as planned in May. The film fest’s president, Pierre Lescure, has said he is “reasonably optimistic” the festival will continue, but he has also said that the event will be canceled if the pandemic situation does not improve. If Cannes is canceled, per Variety, the losses will not be covered by insurance, even if the event is canceled by order of the French government. France has already banned public gatherings with 1,000 people or more, which led to France’s March TV event Series Mania being canceled.
Emily Beecham, Cannes Film Festival
The Arizona Democratic Primary Debate
CNN announced on Tuesday, March 10 that there would be no live studio audience for the upcoming debate between Democratic presidential hopefuls Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders. “CNN’s top priority is the safety of our employees and community members. This extends to guests planning to attend or cover our debate on March 15. At the request of the campaigns and out of an abundance of caution, we have made the decision to eliminate the live audience, the press filing center and spin room in Phoenix,” the network said in a statement. “We encourage you to tune into the debate at 8 pm ET.” Biden and Sanders also canceled campaign rallies ahead of the debate.
How to Watch the 2020 Democratic Primary Debate in Arizona
Coachella and Stagecoach
There’s also be a six-month postponement of one of music’s biggest festivals, per The Hollywood Reporter. Coachella had been slated to take place April 10-12 and 17-19 in Indio, California, but has now moved to Oct. 9-11 and 16-18, if organizers can secure the deal. Lana Del Rey, Travis Scott, Rage Against the Machine, Big Sean, Lil Nas X, and Frank Ocean had been scheduled to perform, but it is unknown if they will return in October. Additionally, GoldenVoice has also moved Coachella’s sister country music festival, Stagecoach, from April 24-26 to Oct. 23-25, according to multiple reports. Stagecoach is also held in Indio, California.
RuPaul’s DragCon LA
Organizers called off the convention, which celebrates drag queens and their fans as well as musicians, celebrities, and retail. It had been scheduled to take place May 1-3 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, but promoters released a statement on the event’s official website stating, “Unfortunately, there’s no way for anyone to know what the situation will be like in May. Due to that uncertainty, and out of an abundance of caution, we’ve decided that it’s in the best interest of the talent, staff, and attendees to cancel RuPaul’s DragCon LA 2020.” Promoters, with the help of Eventbrite, will be issuing refunds to ticket holders through March 17. Ticket holders will receive confirmation emails from Eventbrite when refunds have been issued.
SXSW
The Austin pop culture festival, which is half music showcase and half entertainment palooza, was officially canceled for the first time in 34 years on March 6. Although many of the major players that were going to have showcases had already pulled out — Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Amazon Studios, Netflix, Apple, and Starz had all decided to skip this year — the festival was still going to go on as scheduled before the city of Austin declared a state of emergency due to the outbreak, and SXSW was forced to cancel all events. “This situation evolved rapidly, and we honor and respect the City of Austin’s decision,” read a statement from the festival’s organizers. “We are committed to do our part to help protect our staff, attendees, and fellow Austinites.” The men and women behind the event are currently exploring options to reschedule, and are hoping to find a way to provide a virtual SXSW experience as soon as possible. You can read the full statement here.
Hasbro Baby Yoda merch
Don’t worry; the coronavirus has not delayed production of The Mandalorian, but anybody hoping get their hands on Hasbro’s new range of Baby Yoda toys might be in trouble. On March 4, Hasbro reported delays in production due to manufacturing partners being shut down longer than expected, according to CNN.
The Child, The Mandalorian
Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
All eyes are on the coronavirus outbreak’s potential impact on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, since Japan has been seriously affected by the outbreak as well. As detailed by the BBC, Japan’s Olympic minister Seiko Hashimoto indicated that there may be a postponement of the Games to later in the year, although he also said, “We are doing all we can to ensure that the Games go ahead as planned.” The Olympics are still officially scheduled to be held from July 24 to Aug. 9 in Tokyo.
Keep checking back for more updates.