Filming resumes on 'The Batman' movie after coronavirus shutdown

[September 18, 2020]    LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Filming has resumed in Britain on the movie "The Batman," Warner Bros. said on Thursday, after a two-week shutdown caused by a member of the production - reported to be actor Robert Pattinson - who tested positive for the coronavirus.

“Following a hiatus for COVID 19 quarantine precautions, filming has now resumed on The Batman in the U.K,” a Warner Bros. representative said in a statement.

Pattinson, the star of the superhero movie, was widely reported to be the person who tested positive in early September. The movie studio never confirmed or denied this.

The shutdown underscored the challenges that Hollywood is facing in getting back to work after months of pandemic-induced shutdowns, and the stringent safety measures they must now undertake.

Filming of "The Batman" had resumed north of London only three days prior to the positive test after being shuttered in mid-March, along with dozens of other movies and TV shows around the world due to the coronavirus.

It was not clear to what extent Pattinson, 34, best known for his breakout role in the vampire movie series "Twilight," had suffered any COVID-19 symptoms.

"The Batman" has about three months of material left to shoot, according to Hollywood trade outlets. Its release was pushed back earlier this year to October 2021 from June 2021.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant, Editing by Franklin Paul and Jonathan Oatis)

[© 2020 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.]

Copyright 2020 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.  Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.