News is breaking that the UK production of
Fantastic Beasts 3 - which was reportedly nearing completion this month - has stopped altogether this week due to a lead actor testing positive with a COVID-19 variant.
The report is saying that there is no word yet on when production will resume. Please take all this with a grain of salt though there is possibility of its truth. The movie is almost done filming anyway and is still set for release in July 2022.
UPDATE: Warner Bros. confirmed production is paused due to a positive case of a 'team member' who is currently in isolation.
Quote:
“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.
“Out of an abundance of caution, Fantastic Beasts 3 paused production and will be back up in accordance with safety guidelines.”
Quote:
'Production is only halted if someone cannot be filmed. No one is saying who it is, but it's someone who cannot be replaced,' said the insider.
'The studios have been one of the most secure Covid places since they reopened so there are real fears that it is the South African variant that has got through.
'Everyone is assuming that it is the South African variant and that is all they are talking about.
'All production of the film set for Fantastic Beasts 3 has been shut down. We don't know when we will be back.'
The third installment, out July 15, 2022, will be directed by David Yates, and will bring back the cast of the series including Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore along with Ezra Miller (Credence / Aurelius Dumbledore), Callum Turner (Theseus Scamander), Alison Sudol (Queenie Goldstein), Dan Fogler (Jacob Kowalski), Katherine Waterston (Tina Goldstein), Victoria Yeates (Bunty), William Nadylam (Yusuf Kama), Poppy Corby-Tuech (Vinda Rosier), and Jessica Williams as Professor Eulalie “Lally” Hicks. Mads Mikkelsen will now take on the role of Gellert Grindelwald.
'Fantastic Beasts' 3 production confirmed shut down due to cast member getting COVID 
