The upcoming third instalment in the Fantastic Beasts franchise has halted production after one team member has tested positive for COVID-19, Warner Bros. has confirmed.
“A team member from Fantastic Beasts 3 has tested positive for COVID-19,” Warner Bros. said in a statement to Deadline. “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.”
This isn’t the first time production on Fantastic Beasts 3 has been halted as the film was initially scheduled to begin filming back in March 2020 but was later delayed as a result of the ongoing global health crisis and the UK lockdown before finally beginning production in September 2020.
Fantastic Beasts 3 is being directed by David Yates from a screenplay by franchise creator J.K. Rowling and Steve Kloves. Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Ezra Miller, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler, Katherine Waterston, and Jessica Williams are all set to return to the cast as Newt Scamander, Albus Dumbledore, Credence/Aurelius Dumbledore, Queenie Goldstein, Jacob Kowalski, Tina Goldstein, and Professor Eulalie Hicks respectively. Mads Mikkelsen will now portray the villain Grindelwald following the departure of Johnny Depp. The film is currently scheduled to debut on July 15th 2022.
