Coronavirus continues to plague the entertainment industry, as Disney has shut down production on Marvel’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier in Prague, according to a Deadline report. After the Czech Republic capital closed schools and implemented event and travel restrictions, the studio made the call to bring the cast and crew of the Disney+ series back to Atlanta over growing concerns about the viral outbreak.
Production has primarily occurred in Atlanta but Disney began a short shoot in Prague earlier in March that was intended to only last a week. Cast and crew were called back prior to finishing. There is currently no word whether production will return to Prague, but given the severity of the coronavirus outbreak in Italy and concerns that cases are still rising in Europe, it seems unlikely.
The series was interrupted previously in January by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake in Puerto Rico, the largest on the island in almost a century. That disaster quashed plans to shoot in Puerto Rico, forcing Disney to make alternate plans.
Disney has been struck especially hard by the coronavirus outbreak, unsurprising considering its enormous production slate and global presence. The company has already taken an economic hit with the shutdown of its two theme parks in China, including its largest in the world in Shanghai. New CEO Bob Chapek announced during an earnings call with Wall Street analysts that the entertainment titan expects to suffer a $175 million loss in the second quarter of 2020, due mostly to the viral outbreak of the last two months.
Additionally, Disney’s live-action remake of Mulan, famously set in China, has seen its March 27 release date postponed in China. With a $200 million budget, it’s Disney’s highest-budget live-action remake and was expected to be a box-office smash in China. The film has yet to be delayed in the U.S., where the 25th James Bond film, No Time to Die, is the first major coronavirus-related release delay.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier stars Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan as the title characters, reprising their roles from the Captain America and Avengers films. The show is still currently set to premiere on Disney+ in August.
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