Production on the third Fantastic Beasts film has been halted after a staff member examined constructive for COVID-19, Warner Bros. Pictures mentioned on Thursday.
The franchise, a spin-off from the Harry Potter books and movies, stars Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne as “magizoologist” Newt Scamander.
Filming had begun in September at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, outdoors London, after the pandemic delayed a March 2020 begin, based on The Hollywood Reporter.
“A team member from Fantastic Beasts 3 has tested positive for COVID-19. The diagnosis was confirmed as a result of required and ongoing testing that all production employees receive, and the team member is currently in isolation,” a Warner Bros. Pictures spokesperson mentioned in a press release.
“Out of an abundance of caution, Fantastic Beasts 3 paused production and will be back up in accordance with safety guidelines.”
The assertion gave no additional particulars.
The Fantastic Beasts movies are set some 70 years earlier than Harry Potter and embrace youthful variations of creator J.Okay. Rowling’s characters similar to Albus Dumbledore, performed by Jude Law.
The upcoming film, scheduled for launch in July 2022, additionally sees Mads Mikkelsen tackle the position of evil wizard Gellert Grindelwald, initially performed by Johnny Depp.
Depp was requested to depart the franchise late final 12 months after shedding a libel case in opposition to a British tabloid which branded him a “wife beater”.
