Production on Warner Bros. and DC's The Batman was shut down for the second time after lead star Robert Pattinson tested positive for COVID-19. Now, filming has resumed in the United Kingdom after Pattinson was cleared to return to work.
Initially, Warner Bros. did not plan to suspend filming on The Batman even as studio productions across the globe were temporarily shutting down as a means of slowing the spread of COVID-19. However, the severity of the pandemic eventually promoted Warner Bros. to halt production on The Batman for two weeks before an indefinite shutdown was imposed. Months later, Warner Bros. was cleared to resume filming in England in early September under strict conditions designed to protect the cast and crew.
Just days after cameras started rolling on The Batman again, the cast and crew who were in close contact with Pattinson had to begin a two-week quarantine after the actor's COVID-19 test came back positive. While initial reports claimed production on The Batman would continue without Pattinson, studio insiders denied these assertions. Now, a Warner Bros. spokesperson has confirmed filming will begin again in a statement to Variety saying, "following a hiatus for COVID 19 quarantine precautions, filming has now resumed on The Batman in the U.K."
Despite the delays caused by the shutdown, enough footage was shot to produce a trailer for The Batman in time for Warner Bros.' DC FanDome event in August. However, the release date of the film was forced to move back from June 25, 2021, to October of the same year. Director Matt Reeves has previously stated that approximately 25% of the film had been shot before the initial shutdown in March.
While Robert Pattinson's recovery is more than good news, it will likely raise questions about whether or not productions can safely resume while the pandemic continues. After all, if a big-budget production with the means and incentive to protect its cast and crew can still see a positive case, it stands to reason that the situation for film and television sets can worsen as the cold weather begins and a potential second wave approaches.
Still, moviegoers are likely keeping their fingers crossed that production on The Batman continues without any more setbacks. This year alone had already seen DC's latest feature, Wonder Woman 1984, delayed multiple times.
The Batman is scheduled to be released in theaters on October 1, 2021.
Source: Variety