The Flash Production Paused After Positive COVID-19 Test

Production has reportedly been paused on Season 7 of The Flash, after a team member working on The CW series tested positive for COVID-19. According to reports, the team member's diagnosis is asymptomatic, but was confirmed via the significant testing protocols that Warner Bros. TV has in place. The series has now temporarily suspended production and initiated contact tracing, and the series is reportedly looking into adjusting its production schedule so filming can resume without those who have been directly affected.

This is the second The CW series to have to make this adjustment, after the Charmed reboot had to shut down production earlier this month for a similar situation of a crew member testing positive. Many of the network's shows - as well as other shows that film in Vancouver - also had to delay or pause production due to testing delays in October.

When The Flash does return, it will be in some interesting narrative territory, as the series was forced to end its sixth season early this past spring due to the pandemic. According to showrunner Eric Wallace, that will allow for the series' ongoing story to be told in a unique way.

"Ironically, I'm relieved," Wallace told ComicBook.com earlier this year. "I'll tell you why. When I break the seasons of The Flash, each graphic novel is broken down like a movie, what I think my master plan," Wallace said. "So, like a good movie, it has an act one, act two and an act three. Well, the end of this season because of production stopping will be the end of act two of our movie, which is a perfect point to break your story because there's a huge cliffhanger and there's a hero at his lowest point. To get now, you finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. So, it actually was very fortunate for us, even though it was very sad to see production end and not be able to get to what is essentially act three of our movie. When we come back, not only are you presenting the ending in a house of fire, but where we lead this year's cliffhanger isn't just an ordinary episode."

The Flash is expected to return with new episodes in 2021 on The CW.

h/t: Deadline