Amazon's LORD OF THE RINGS Shuts Down Indefinitely In New Zealand Due To Coronavirus Outbreak

Amazon's LORD OF THE RINGS Shuts Down Indefinitely In New Zealand Due To Coronavirus Outbreak

While countless productions have been closed down due to the Coronavirus pandemic, we may have our first real delay as work on The Lord of the Rings has been put on an indefinite hold in New Zealand...

By JoshWilding - Mar 16, 2020 05:03 AM EST
Filed Under: Lord of the Rings
Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Everything from The Batman to Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has ceased production thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic, but while those movies have been put on hold for two weeks, Amazon's live-action The Lord of the Rings seris could ultimately fail to meet its planned 2021 premiere. 

Deadline reveals that around 800 production staff have been made to stand down today after New Zealand closed its borders on March 13th (the strongest reaction to Coronavirus yet). 

The trade notes that the $1 billion series had initially taken a two-week hiatus, but staff working on the series have been told that, "there are no clear answers to when we will resume."

No one working on the series is believed to have tested positive for Coronavirus, but both cast and crew were told "not report to the set or to the studio without the express permission of your supervisor." As you might expect, this shut down is being done 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."

As we mentioned, the plan was for The Lord of the Rings to debut next year, but with the country taking the pandemic so seriously, the delays could be significantly longer than elsewhere. 

It feels like movies and TV shows being delayed is going to become the norm moving forward, and there's not a single studio currently unaffected by this deadly virus. We'll be sure to keep you guys up to date with all the latest news as it comes in, though, as there's still plenty going on in the worlds of superheroes, fantasy, sci-fi, and comic books we can keep you updated with!

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Kumkani
Kumkani - 3/16/2020, 6:02 AM
Spidey91
Spidey91 - 3/16/2020, 6:03 AM
This is gonna be a fun year, can't wait for the kaiju invasion next month 🙄
WeaponXCII
WeaponXCII - 3/16/2020, 6:04 AM
soberchimera
soberchimera - 3/16/2020, 6:05 AM
When people realize there's going to be no new content in late-2019/early-2020, and they're going to have to read books to get new stories.
soberchimera
soberchimera - 3/16/2020, 6:08 AM
@BillCipher - Yeah, but how many millenials want to watch Columbo?
soberchimera
soberchimera - 3/16/2020, 6:13 AM
@BillCipher - 70s Columbo, yes. 90s Columbo, no.

soberchimera
soberchimera - 3/16/2020, 6:18 AM
@TheJustinHammer - Read books to get new content. Personally, there are very few shows I like to rewatch. Also, is Westworld S3 any good?
soberchimera
soberchimera - 3/16/2020, 6:26 AM
@TheJustinHammer - Even so, there's waaaaaaaaaay more unadapted book material out there than tv shows that have been adapted from books.
soberchimera
soberchimera - 3/16/2020, 6:45 AM
@TheJustinHammer - Yeah, but I'm talking about quality over quantity, amazing shows are not that abundant, and I'm sure the general populace has seen most. Of course people might start watching shows they have no interest in. My point is you would be way more entertained reading unadapted books like The Kingkiller Chronicle or The Dark Tower than watching Shadowhunters.
Battabing
Battabing - 3/16/2020, 6:57 AM
@soberchimera -
Would have been a perfect time for a new GOT novel.
There are no conventions to attend or TV sets to report to, Martin. Get to work!
Battabing
Battabing - 3/16/2020, 6:58 AM
@TheJustinHammer -
It's a Gen X thing.
soberchimera
soberchimera - 3/16/2020, 7:00 AM
@TheJustinHammer - Did a librarian touch you when you were a kid or something? I never said reading was the only option, my point was that most people have already watched all the shows they have a vested interest in which may be 30% as you say, but why should they waste their time with the other 70% if there are books out there with stories they find more interesting? And with people not being able to go to the movies, bars, restaurants, etc, and stuck at home, they're going to get tired of sitting in front of the tv and want to read just for a change of pace. And you're right, the power isn't out, so they can listen to audiobooks :)
soberchimera
soberchimera - 3/16/2020, 7:02 AM
@Battabing - I'm Gen Y actually.
soberchimera
soberchimera - 3/16/2020, 7:08 AM
@TheJustinHammer - I'm sure he was.
soberchimera
soberchimera - 3/16/2020, 7:15 AM
@TheJustinHammer -
MutantEquality
MutantEquality - 3/16/2020, 6:05 AM
Huh? I was under the impression a live action Lord of the Rings was already filmed in New Zealand. Like 3 whole movies. Movies that were very very long. Was it coronavirus or did everyone get together and realize, wait, hasn’t this already been done?😏
narrow290
narrow290 - 3/16/2020, 7:44 AM
@MutantEquality - This show is about Middle-Earth during the 2nd age
hundreds of years before the events of Lord of the Rings
WackyBantha
WackyBantha - 3/16/2020, 9:29 AM
Eventually, there will be a 2nd breakfast.
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