The entertainment industry arranged Thursday for an uncommon shut down to control the spread of the coronavirus, canceling up and coming motion pictures, suspending all Broadway exhibitions and abandoning concert visits until it’s secure to welcome swarms back.
The closures sum to an about total stopping of the industry, from Lincoln Center to Disneyland, and the largest-scale shutdown of numerous of the country’s major courses of culture.
The unfolding mindfulness of the virus’ reach had as of now constrained the cancellation or delay of all major inescapable occasions on the calendar, counting the sprawling South by Southwest conference and celebration in Austin, Texas; Hollywood’s yearly motion picture expo CinemaCon, in Las Vegas; this month’s Kids Choice Grants in Los Angeles; and the sunny California music celebration Coachella, which was put off until October. TV systems saw the abandoning of most major donning occasions, counting the NBA season, Walk Franticness and the NHL season.
Disneyland plans to shut its gates Saturday for the rest of the month. After Sunday, Florida’s Disney World will also close to guests through the end of March. And Disney is suspending any new cruise ship departures starting Saturday.
Beginning Saturday, the Universal Studios theme park in Los Angeles will close until at least March 28. Universal Studios in Orlando plans to shutter for the rest of the month starting Monday.
Hollywood still planned to usher several new movies into theaters beginning Thursday evening. North American’s largest chains, AMC and Regal, did not respond to emails. Cinemas have already been closed in China, India, Italy, Poland, Greece and other countries.
But they will soon run out of movies to play. Postponements have erased much of the upcoming movie release calendar.
The Walt Disney Co. wiped out its upcoming slate, including “Mulan,” “New Mutants” and “Antlers.” Universal Pictures said the “Fast and Furious” movie titled “F9” would not open May 22 as planned but in April next year. John Krasinski, writer and director of “A Quiet Place 2,” announced that his film from Paramount Pictures would not open next week as planned but be rescheduled to for another date.
“One of the things I’m most proud of is that people have said our movie is one you have to see together,” Krasinski said in a message on social media. “Well due to the ever-changing circumstances of what’s going on in the world around us, now is clearly not the right time to do that.”
Across Hollywood, the usual machinations of show business, from auditions to rehearsals, ground to a halt. Apple’s “The Morning Show” was among the many productions put on hiatus. Central Casting closed its offices. The TCM Classic Film festival, scheduled next month in Los Angeles was canceled. Leading talent agents closed their offices and sent agents home to work.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame postponed its annual induction ceremony, scheduled for May 2 in Cleveland. It was to have been televised live for the first time by HBO. Posthumous inductees Whitney Houston and the Notorious B.I.G. were to be honored, along with Depeche Mode, the Doobie Brothers, Nine Inch Nails, and T. Rex. Canada’s top music awards show, the June Awards, was also called off as a precaution.
The announcement Wednesday evening that Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, had tested positive for coronavirus sent shudders through the industry. Hanks was easily the most famous person yet to publicly announce that he had the virus. He was in Australia to shoot an Elvis Presley biopic that Warner Bros. said would halt production.
Hanks posted a photo on Instagram late Thursday, saying he and Wilson remain in isolation and that they are taking it “one-day-at-a-time.” In a nod to his manager role in “A League of Their Own,” Hanks concluded his post: “Remember, despite all the current events, there is no crying in baseball.”
On Thursday, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “The Late Show With James Corden” joined other late-night talk shows in announcing they will tape without audiences. That followed similar decisions by CBS’ “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” NBC’s “Tonight Show” and “Late Night With Seth Meyers,” Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Trevor Noah,” HBO’s “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” and TBS’ “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.”
CBS also said production on the next season of “Survivor” was being postponed. “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune” have also halted tapings with audiences.
For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover within a few weeks.
As of Thursday, 38 people had died in the U.S., while more than 1,300 people had tested positive for the virus. Tolls have been higher elsewhere. In Italy, where more than 15,000 people tested positive and more than 1,000 people have died, all stores except pharmacies and food markets were ordered closed.
