It was reported late last night that, due to the coronavirus pandemic, Universal Pictures had decided to halt production indefinitely on all currently filming live-action projects, including
Jurassic World: Dominion, the Ice Cube-fronted boxing drama
Flint Strong and an untitled Judd Apatow-produced comedy starring Billy Eichner (
Parks and Recreation).
Principal photography had only just begun on the Colin Trevorrow-directed
Jurassic World: Dominion a few weeks back in Hawaii before moving to London where it was expected to complete the majority of its shooting schedule. However, now, with no restart date in sight and the fluid nature of current events, it remains to be seen whether the extended delay will force the studio to push back the film's already booked June 11, 2021 release date.
In their official statement, Universal said, “
The studio continues to monitor the situation closely and will make a determination on when to restart production in the coming weeks.”
Universal is the latest major studio to make the call to shut down production on a major blockbuster, following Paramount Pictures, which
shut down Mission: Impossible 7 in late February, and Walt Disney Studios, which has put a pause on Marvel's
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,
The Little Mermaid,
The Last Duel,
Home Alone,
Nightmare Alley,
Peter Pan & Wendy and
Shrunk.
Netflix, Disney TV and Warner Bros. TV have also halted production on any and all shows that were either already filming or about to film. This list includes, but is not limited to, Marvel's
Falcon and the Winter Soldier,
Supergirl,
The Flash,
Batwoman,
Lucifer,
Pennyworth,
Stranger Things and
Supernatural, which was just on the verge of beginning work on its series finale.
While their television division is shutting down for the foreseeable future, Warner Bros. Pictures has not yet stopped production on
The Batman,
The Matrix 4,
King Richard or
Fantastic Beasts 3, but it seems as though decisions on those titles may be coming as soon as later today, if not by Monday.
The star-studded cast of
Jurassic World: Dominion will feature Jurassic alums Chris Pratt (Owen Grady), Bryce Dallas Howard (Claire Dearing), 3x Golden Globe-nominee Sam Neill (Alan Grant), Academy Award-winner Laura Dern (Ellie Sattler), Academy Award-nominee Jeff Goldblum (Ian Malcolm), Jake Johnson (Lowery Cruthers), Omar Sy (Barry Sembane), Justice Smith (Franklin Webb), Daniella Pineda (Zia Rodriguez) and Isabella Sermon (Maisie Lockwood).
Newcomers to the franchise include Mamoudou Athie (
Sorry for Your Loss), DeWanda Wise (
She's Gotta Have It), Dichen Lachman (
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) and Scott Haze (
Venom). Details on their roles are currently being kept under wraps.
On another note,
Film Music Reporter has confirmed that Academy Award-winner Michael Giacchino, who also scored the previous two installments, will return to compose the original motion picture score for
Jurassic World: Dominion.
We also have the first official teaser poster, which pays homage to the 1993 classic.
Jurassic World 3 roars into theaters on June 11, 2021.