The New Zealand government, which aggressively contained the coronavirus outbreak, has announced that domestic film productions can start rolling cameras again, with international productions, including James Cameron’s “Avatar” sequels, to follow.
Studio executives and producers across the Pacific are eyeing the island nation as a potential savior, especially with so many other filming locations — including North American hubs California, New York and Georgia — grappling to find a safe path to reopen. The Los Angeles County Public Health Department is planning to allow film, TV and sound production to reopen “with modifications” in stage three of its recovery plan, which is weeks away at best and subject to change in the event of a coronavirus resurgence.
Even in the best scenario, the pipeline that ultimately brings superhero flicks and other tentpole epics to the big screen has largely ground to a halt, which will ultimately cause a big gap in content in the coming years — even after movie theaters reopen.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member