Marvel Suspends Production On Shang-Chi, Director Is Tested For COVID-19
The director wasn't feeling COVID-19 symptoms but is now self-isolating, awaiting for test results.
COVID-19 concerns have forced Marvel/Disney to suspend production on Shangi-Chi: The Legend of the Ten Rings, currently filming in Australia.
Variety reported that director Destin Daniel Cretton has been asked by a doctor to self-isolate. Cretton wasn’t feeling symptoms of COVID-19, but chose to be tested as a precaution. He’s self-isolating as he waits for the test results.
In a note to the crew, Marvel wrote: “As many of you know, Destin, our director, has a new born baby. He wanted to exercise additional caution given the current environment and decided to get tested for Covid-19 today.
“He is currently self-isolating under the recommendation of his doctor. While he waits for the results of the test, we are suspending 1st unit production in an abundance of caution until he gets the results this coming week.
“Second unit and off production will continue as normal. We will reach out to everyone by Tuesday for the latest update. This is an unprecedented time. We appreciate everyone’s understanding as we work through this.”
Starring Simu Liu, Awkwafina and Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Shang-Chi, Marvel's first Asian-led movie, had been shooting in Australia since February. No word on whether this interruption will impact the movie’s Feb 2021 release date.
Shang-Chi isn’t the only Hollywood movie affected by COVID-19 in Australia. There’s also Baz Luhrmann’s untitled Elvis Presley biopic, which suspended production after Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson were diagnosed with the coronavirus yesterday.
Hanks recently shared an update via social media. “Rita Wilson and I would like to thank everyone Down Under for taking such good care of us,” Hanks wrote. “We have COVID-19 and are in isolation so we do not spread it to anyone else.
“There are those for whom it could lead to a very serious illness. We are taking it one-day-at-a-time. There are things we can all do to get through this by following the advice of experts and taking care of ourselves and each other, no? Remember, despite all the current events, there is no crying in baseball. Hanx.”
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