As part of a bold and cautionary move, Amazon Studios on Monday confirmed that all Amazon original series in production are to be placed on hold, due to rising concerns related to the spread of COVID-19.
The list of productions to be halted includes THE LORD OF THE RINGS TV series, which had started filming in New Zealand last month. As The New Zealand Herald tells it, production on Amazon's retelling of J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel will shut down for at least two weeks, giving cast and crew members a total of 14 days to self-isolate and, in all hope, avoid the spread of novel coronavirus.
It's to be believed that crew members learned about the shut down via a memo from producer GSR Productions, which read “there are no clear answers to when we will resume production.”
You can read a portion of the memo below:
“In an abundance of caution, UAP [Untitled Amazon Project] has suspended production for the next two (2) weeks commencing Monday, March 16. This is done in an environment where travel restrictions directed at the control of Covid-19 are issued daily by New Zealand and most other countries.”
The memo reportedly added: “We are doing this to minimise stress on the resources and infrastructures around us by doing our part to reduce population density in our communities and daily activities, in efforts to help reduce the spread of the virus.”
The prequel series, which is set during The Second Age is poised to tell a new story taking place in Middle Earth. The show is operating under a multi-season commitment, with plans to tell many stories taking place in Tolkien's legendary world of wizards, warriors, and wicked things that walk among the shadows.
Set to direct the first two episodes is JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM director J.A. Bayona, with J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay at the head of the writing team. The show stars Maxim Baldry (YEARS AND YEARS), Robert Aramayo (GAME OF THRONES), and Markella Kavenaugh (ROMPER STOMPER).
It's a sad reality that until the spread of coronavirus is no longer a threat, we can likely expect for many more projects across the entertainment spectrum to announce delays and halts to production. Be sure to stay safe, and keep checking back with us as we continue to report on the consequences of this global pandemic and its impact on the cinematic market.
