'Stranger Things' Shut Down Due To Coronavirus; Netflix Halts All Film And TV Production In US & Canada
It seems like every other hour brings us news of yet another TV or film production being halted in the wake of concerns about the coronavirus (aka COVID-19). The latest comes from Netflix, which has decided to halt production on all film and TV productions in the US and Canada. That includes Stranger Things, which just started shooting its fourth season.
Not even the Upside Down is immune from the coronavirus. Stranger Things is shutting down production, along with every other Netflix film and scripted TV show in the United States and Canada. Per Deadline, the Netflix shutdown will start on Monday, March 16, and last for the next two weeks. Shows filming outside the U.S. and Canada, like The Witcher, are still in production – but that could always change. There's no word if this delay will delay the release dates of Stranger Things and other Netflix shows, but we'll see. Netflix hasn't even announced a premiere date for Stranger Things season 4 yet, so they have plenty of wiggle room on that front.
Netflix joins an ever-growing list of production companies that are using caution due to the virus. Warner Bros. and Disney both shut down a large list of TV shows, and Disney is halting all of their current live-action films. Warner Bros., however, isn't halting their current films, like The Batman and The Matrix 4. Sony has also halted production on Nightingale and Wheel of Time, and production on shows The Flash, Batwoman, Supergirl, and Lucifer has stopped as well. NBCUniversal is also halting show productions.
Meanwhile, AMC theaters are reducing their capacity by 50%, Universal Studios Hollywood theme park is closing, Warner Bros., Paramount, and Sony are stopping studio tours, Disneyland, Disney California, Disneyland Paris, and Walt Disney World are shuttering, sporting events are being delayed, and movie release dates are being pushed – in some cases by entire years. Just how long all of this will continue is anyone's guess, but for now, this is our new normal. Just remember to wash your hands, folks.