Marvel's Shang-Chi Halts Production, Director Is Tested For Coronavirus
Marvel Studios' Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' first-unit production has been put on hold. At the same time, director Destin Daniel Cretton will be tested for the coronavirus, now a global pandemic. Over the last few weeks, the coronavirus rapidly spread throughout the world, with its effect now fully felt in Hollywood. Multiple blockbusters have been delayed significantly as part of the industry's precautions; theme parks closed down, conventions are canceled, and filming for both small and big screen projects are being indefinitely suspended. And the latest to be saddled by this crisis is Marvel Studios' Simu Liu-led project.
Plot details for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings are still kept tightly under wraps, but the film is expected to debut the MCU's real Mandarin, played by Tony Leung. Akwafina also joined the project in an unknown role. Filming was initially reported to begin in November 2019 in Australia, but it was pushed to this year. That still gives them plenty of time to polish the blockbuster before its 2021 release date. Unfortunately, not long after it began principal photography, they needed to slow things down amidst the growing concern for the spread of coronavirus.
THR reports Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings first-unit production has been indefinitely shut down due to concerns over the global pandemic. This is in conjunction with Cretton being advised by a doctor to self-quarantine as he gets tested for the said virus. Work will be suspended until he gets screening results this coming week.
As previously mentioned, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is currently filming in Australia, where Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson have also been tested positive for the virus. There are 156 confirmed cases in the country thus far. It's worth noting that Cretton isn't confirmed to have the coronavirus as well, but he was advised to go through some series of tests to make sure that he's not infected, partly because he has a newborn baby. It's unclear if the filmmaker showed any known symptoms of the illness or if it was just a proactive decision on his part, considering that he's a new father. In any case, it's best to be safe than sorry, especially since he's also working closely with countless members of the film's cast and crew. No word if any other member of the project is up for testing.
While first-unit waits on Cretton's test, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings second-unit will continue work. That means that production isn't really suspended altogether - instead, it's just slowed down. Whether or not the film will be significantly delayed now depends on the results of the filmmaker's health screening. A negative verdict doesn't necessarily guarantee that they'll push through with their initial schedule since Marvel Studios and Disney can simply decide to shut work down for the safety of all workers concerned.
Source: THR