We all knew it was going to happen. It was only a matter of time. Unfortunately, the first major star to test positive for COVID-19 while filming is Robert Pattinson, one of the biggest names in the industry. Doubly bad is that the actor tested positive while filming one of the biggest films of 2021, “The Batman.” And triply bad, the studio behind “The Batman” is Warner Bros., the same studio that has been pushing for “Tenet” to be released in theaters and convincing film fans that they are safe. Yes, this is one big mess.
Update: Pattinson’s received the all-clear and production has resumed again. [Variety]
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According to Vanity Fair, a member of the crew of “The Batman” has tested positive for COVID-19. And that member is actually lead actor (and Batman himself), Robert Pattinson. No word on how his health is faring at this point, whether or not he’s asymptomatic or experiencing any issues. However, his condition marks the first major actor to have tested positive since filming has resumed around the world in recent weeks. And the positive test didn’t take long for “The Batman,” as the film just resumed days earlier.
In response to the positive test, all Warner Bros. would say in a statement is, “A member of The Batman production has tested positive for Covid-19, and is isolating in accordance with established protocols. Filming is temporarily paused.”
Obviously, there’s no way of knowing how long filming of “The Batman” is temporarily paused. Nor is there any real indication if Pattinson’s illness was contracted while on set and if he potentially spread the virus elsewhere. But hey, no matter what protocols are put in place and how safely people act while on a film set, COVID doesn’t care. The virus is real and it’s highly infectious, so it was only a matter of time before this happened.
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The really interesting aspect is how the studio will react to the news, and whether or not Pattinson’s diagnosis will have any ripple effect for the larger film industry. We have to assume (as stupid and naive as that may be) that each and every film that is in production right now is following the strict protocols that are recommended to eliminate the chance of infection while on set. So, if Pattinson was found to have contracted the illness from someone else on set, then there’s clearly an issue with the efficacy of the protocols. And if that’s the case, what does that mean for all the other blockbusters that are in production? Will changes have to be made?
Long story short, there aren’t any real answers for those questions right now. As with everything regarding COVID and the film industry, it’s an ever-changing situation. But for now, filming of “The Batman” is halted once again. However, the release date is still set for October 2021.
