Studios have opted to postpone the release of Mulan, New Mutants and Fast and Furious 9 films owing to the growing of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) that has reached a global scale in the space of a few months.
The global pandemic has caused over 70,000 theaters to close in China and other countries as more nations implement lockdowns and community quarantines. After the successful red carpet event for Mulan's live-action remake, director Niki Caro made the announcement about the delay, BBC reported.
"We are so excited to share this film with the world, but given the current ever-shifting circumstances we are all experiencing, unfortunately, we have to postpone the worldwide release of Mulan for now," she said.
Mulan's Live-Action remake is not the only film that will postpone its release. It has been reported that horror films The New Mutants, Antlers, No Time to Die, and The Quiet Place 2 will be delayed as well as The Secret Garden starring Colin Firth and Julie Andrews.
With 3,000 cases and growing in the US, the Center for Disease Control has appealed to all organizers to cancel all events and activities with over 50 participants for the next eight weeks in an effort to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
"Large events and mass gatherings can contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in the United States via travelers who attend these events and introduce the virus to new communities," the guidelines of the CDC indicated.
The COVID-19 has been making an impact on the entertainment industry for the past few months as it caused late shows and talk shows to film without a live audience. Apart from postponing release dates of expected blockbuster hits, Disney has also temporarily halted the production of live-action remakes like Peter Pan, The Little Mermaid, as well as its Home Alone remake, Vox reported.
Mission Impossible's upcoming sequel also faced production delays to ensure the safety of the cast and crew from the virus. Last week, celebrity couple Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson announced to the world that they were tested positive of the Coronavirus while they were in Australia for the pre-production of Baz Luhrman's yet-untitled Elvis Presley project.
Tom Hanks said that he and his wife began experiencing flu-like symptoms and decided to get tested. He assured fans that he and Rita are following strict orders from the doctor and they are taking things one day at a time.
