The highly anticipated The Batman starring Robert Pattinson may have to be anticipated a bit longer, since reports are coming in that filming has been halted after a crew member tested positive for coronavirus. This news comes just three days after the film resumed production after a several-month shutdown in an attempt to wait for safer filming conditions.

A second shutdown is especially bad news for DC, which just a few weeks ago was making several headlines with The Batman. A teaser trailer released as part of DC FanDome made a huge splash by giving fans a first look at the film’s villains and costumes. The general consensus of fans for the past few weeks is that they are excited to see Pattinson step into the role of Batman, and are looking forward to seeing more footage when production is complete.

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However, a recent report from Deadline confirms that production on The Batman has ceased, citing a statement from Warner Bros. in which the studio announced that a crew member has tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently in isolation. Production was happening in the UK at the time of the test and was scheduled to remain there through mid-September, though the plan now is unclear. The report also indicates that despite having released a teaser, The Batman still has a large number of scenes left to shoot, and will need to complete them soon if the film will be ready for its scheduled 2021 release date.

The Batman in costume

While it is inconvenient for The Batman crew to have to delay production once again, this is the simple reality of trying to film during a pandemic. This isn’t the only film set to be shut down after a positive coronavirus test, either. Just last month, four crew members filming Jurassic World: Dominion were infected with COVID-19 in Malta, and the production team had to make some drastic changes to their shooting schedule to ensure no additional cast or crew was exposed. Now, it seems like The Batman is experiencing the exact same thing.

Of course, shutting down production after a positive coronavirus test is the right call. The health and safety of crew members certainly takes priority over meeting arbitrary deadlines. It’s unclear as of right now how long production will be delayed, and the shutdown could range anywhere from two weeks to several months. While we can still be excited for this film to change DC movies upon its release, there’s no telling now how long it will be before we’re able to see The Batman in theaters.

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Source: Deadline

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