Sylvester Stallone’s superhero movie Samaritan is going on a two-week hiatus in response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Deadline. Stallone had been spotted filming as recently as Saturday in Atlanta, though that appears to be the final day of shooting for now. The MGM film is the latest to halt production in an attempt to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 disease, joining numerous other films in shutting down production, including Warner Bros. The Batman and Netflix’s Red Notice which also recently announced two-week hiatuses in response to the pandemic.
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Samaritan will see Stallone play a famous superhero who the world believes disappeared following a massive battle two decades in the past. However, when a young man discovers that the hero may still be alive, he goes on a journey to find him. The film is directed by Overlord‘s Julius Avery on a screenplay from Escape Room’s Bragi F. Schut with writing from Mark L. Smith (The Revenant), Zak Penn (Ready Player One), and Chuck MacLean (City on a Hill) based on a story by Schut. The film has been in production for at least a few weeks with photos from the set surfacing back in February.
As noted, Samaritan is just the latest production to go on hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to The Batman and Red Notice, Marvel Studios’ Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings also recently paused first unit photography after director Destin Daniel Cretton self-isolated following testing for COVID-19. All three of Marvel’s Disney+ shows have also suspended production for the time being. The CW has also suspended production on many of their shows as well, including Batwoman, The Flash, Supergirl, and Riverdale in response to the pandemic.
The spread of the novel coronavirus has also impacted movies set to hit theaters this spring as well. The latest James Bond film, No Time To Die, originally set for an April 10 release, has pushed back to November 25. Disney’s Mulan, which was set to open on March 27, has also delayed its release. Beyond film and television, a number of conventions have also been cancelled or delayed due to the pandemic. CinemaCon, Emerald City Comic Con, Fan Expo Dallas, and SXSW have all been cancelled or delayed due to concerns while people are being advised to practice “social distancing” as a measure to help slow or even prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) as of March 14 there have been 142,539 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 5393 deaths from the disease. According to CNN, Georgia currently has 99 confirmed cases and one confirmed death.
Samaritan is currently slated for release on December 11.
