'The Witcher' Season 2 Stops Filming After Multiple Positive Coronavirus Tests

Production on the second season of the epic fantasy series The Witcher has been underway at Arborfield Studios, west of London, since August. But the Netflix series hit its first snag after resuming production as multiple positive COVID-19 tests were confirmed, forcing the show to stop shooting temporarily.

Deadline has news on The Witcher season 2 stopping production after multiple positive coronavirus tests. None of the positive tests are among lead cast members, and those who tested positive have been isolated. Furthermore, there will be an additional round of isolated testing for everyone working on the series to make sure all positive cases are identified and quarantined from the rest of the cast and crew. At this time, it's not clear when production might resume.

This isn't the first time The Witcher season 2 had coronavirus problems. Back at the beginning of the pandemic's spread in March, actor Kristofer Hivju received a positive test. After that, production shut down entirely and didn't resume until this past August since the United Kingdom had halted all film and TV productions. The UK is currently under lockdown again, but productions are allowed to keep shooting as long as they follow the strict guidelines laid out to prevent spread of the virus.

In the second season of The Witcher, Henry Cavill (Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Man of Steel) reprises his role as Geralt of Rivia, alongside Anya Chalotra as Yennefer and Freya Allan as Ciri, and Joey Batey as everyone's favorite bard Jaskier.

In addition to returning cast members, the show is stepping up with its casting, bringing a host of new faces to face off against Geralt of Rivia. The cast for season 2 includes Game of Thrones alum Kristofer Hivju as Nivellen, Yasen Atour (Young Wallender) as Coen, Agnes Bjorn as Vereena, Paul Bullion (Peaky Blinders) as Lambert, Thue Ersted Rasmussen (Fast and Furious 9) as Eskel, Aisha Fabienne Ross (The Danish Girl) as Lydia, and recent graduate Mecia Simson as Francesca.

The Witcher season 2 is expected to premiere on Netflix sometime in 2021, but that could easily be delayed. In the meantime, check out the first footage from the upcoming season right here.

Based on the best-selling fantasy series of books, THE WITCHER is an epic tale of fate and family. The story of the intertwined destinies of three individuals in the vast world of The Continent, where humans, elves, witchers, gnomes, and monsters battle to survive and thrive, and where good and evil is not easily identified.