Production on Warner Bros.’ upcoming Fantastic Beasts 3 was shut down after a team member tested positive for COVID.
Warner Bros. released the following statement:
“A team member from Fantastic Beasts 3 has tested positive for COVID-19. The diagnosis was confirmed as a result of required and ongoing testing that all production employees receive, and the team member is currently in isolation. Out of an abundance of caution, Fantastic Beasts 3 paused production and will be back up in accordance with safety guidelines.”
There’s no word on who the team member was, or if it was a principal cast member. Matt Reeves’ The Batman was similarly shut down when star Robert Pattinson tested positive for the virus.
This isn’t the first hiccup for Fantastic Beasts, as Johnny Depp was replaced by Mads Mikkelsen as Dark Wizard Gellert Grindelwald following Depp’s much publicised legal battle with his ex, Amber Heard.
The delay has caused the film to be pushed back to the summer of 2022.