The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the film and television industry, with countless productions being forced to shut down earlier this year due to the virus’ spread. While flare-ups in film and TV hubs like Los Angeles and Georgia are causing problems for a lot of productions, some projects are gradually getting off of the ground — including a few high-profile titles that are set to film in the United Kingdom. During a press conference on Sunday (via The Wrap), Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden confirmed that several productions, including The Batman and Mission: Impossible 7, will be able to resume filming soon, thanks to a new exemption from following quarantine rules.
Dowden revealed that he personally spoke to Mission: Impossible star Tom Cruise about the update. The exemption will come with some rules, including that productions will only be able to film in England, in a “bubble” environment, in which cast and crew will live in close proximity to the production area, and not be able to venture outward beyond that.
Other productions that will benefit from this exemption include Jurassic World: Dominion, Fantastic Beasts 3, Cinderella, and the live-action remake of The Little Mermaid.
“The world’s biggest blockbusters and high-end TV shows are made in Britain,” Dowden said. “Our creativity, expertise, and highly successful tax reliefs for our screen industries means that we are an in-demand location that in turn delivers a great return for our economy. We want the industry to bounce back and exempting small numbers of essential cast and crew from quarantine is part of our continued commitment to getting cameras rolling safely again.”
The Batman shut down production in March of this year, with director Matt Reeves hinting at a desire to finish production in London, once they would be able to.
“We’re not officially editing right now,” Reeves explained in April. “We’ve actually shot a quarter of the movie and I have been pouring through dailies, looking at takes, and what’s to come.”
“It’s way too early to say, I can’t imagine we wouldn’t finish in London,” Reeves added. “The situation is fluid.”
What do you think of The Batman, Mission: Impossible, and more being able to resume production during the COVID-19 pandemic? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
The Batman is currently scheduled to be released on October 1, 2021.
Justin Morgan helped bring TeslaBel from a weekly newsletter to a full-fledged news site by creating a new website and branding. He continues to assist in keeping the site responsive and well organized for the readers. As a contributor to TeslaBel, Justin mainly covers mobile news and gadgets.
