Netflix Has Stopped Production On All Its Shows For Two Weeks Due To Coronavirus
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Netflix has joined the thousands of companies taking precautionary measures around coronavirus, reportedly shutting down production on its TV shows and movies for two weeks.
According to Entertainment Weekly, the streaming platform has halted all production on its originals amid concerns for the virus.
The streamer told the outlet the measure was being taken "due to government restrictions and health/safety precautions."
Among the shows impacted is Stranger Things, which is bad news for fans as it could see the release date for season 4 pushed back to next year.
Netflix confirmed production for the fourth instalment of the hit sci-fi had started on 3rd March via a behind-the-scenes video from the table read. After filming scenes in Lithuania, production was expected to return to both Atlanta and New Mexico in the States.
While Netflix hasn't given a release date, it was predicted we might see the fourth season in late 2020 - a date that could now be pushed back to early 2021.
Other shows expected to feel the impact of the company's production ban include The Prom and Grace & Frankie.
Netflix is following the lead of fellow entertainment giants who are pulling down the shutters of their production studios.
Last week, Warner Bros announced it was suspending work on more than 70 TV shows which are either completely seasons or shooting pilots.
Disney has also been making changes in light of the virus, announcing it was postponing the release of three of its upcoming titles as an "abundance of caution" in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
This included the highly anticipated live-action Mulan remake, which was scheduled for release on 27th March, as well as The New Mutants and Antlers, which were planned for April 3 and April 17 respectively.
However, while Covid-19 might impacting production schedules negatively, it's good news for Netflix's subscriber figures as more people are signing up during self-isolation.
According to Nasdaq, analyst data shows the company may exceed its subscriber expectations in the second quarter of the year due to the pandemic.
At least we now have a change to make a dent in our watch lists, eh?
Topics: Entertainment, TV and Film, Netflix