Another Major Production Has Shut Down Because Of Positive Virus Test
Another major television production has shut down because of positive Covid tests among the cast and crew. It's becoming a trend
This article is more than 2 years old
With some countries still having COVID-19 or facing a resurgence, productions for movies and TV shows have shut down. The Hollywood Reporter reports that the latest victim is Gangs Of London, which was shooting in the UK until a positive virus test closed things down.
A crew member of the AMC and Sky series tested positive on Thursday (July 22). Gangs Of London has shut down for 10 days. Anyone who had contact with the person will isolate in the meantime. The cast and crew for Gangs of London, which is produced by Pulse Films and Sister, are tested twice a week. Filming started in June and had no issues until now.
Gangs Of London is not the only show that has had issues shooting in the UK due to the virus. Bridgerton was filming its second season, much like the AMC and Sky crime-drama series, before it had its second positive test within a week. Deadline reported that Netflix’s Matilda had to stop its UK shoot for its first filming unit due to a positive test. HBO’s spin-off series for Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon, recently resumed after briefly pressing pause when a member was positive, leading to isolation for them and a select few who were in close contact.
The series has been a hit for Sky and AMC via its service AMC+. Gangs Of London is created by Gareth Evans (The Raid: Redemption) and Matt Flannery, who was the cinematographer for both Raid movies. The duo act as the lead writers. Evans directs some of the episodes, along with him, Corin Hardy (The Nun), Xavier Gens (Hitman), Nima Nourizadeh (Project X), and Marcela Said (Narcos: Mexico) direct too.
Besides Gangs Of London, Evans is keeping busy. He is directing and writing the action-thriller Havoc with actors Tom Hardy (Mad Max: Fury Road), Timothy Olyphant (Justified), Forest Whitaker (Empire), and Jessie Mei Li (Shadow and Bone). He will join Joe Carnahan (Boss Level) for The Raid, which is not meant to be confused with his Raid as this is not a remake. The filmmaker will also helm Blister, which is currently kept under wraps of what it is about or who will be cast in it. He was set to direct a movie on the DC character Deathstroke, but due to issues with other DC Extended Universe movies like Justice League, it fell through.
Gangs Of London follows a story about the power struggle between international gangs in London when the leader of the city’s most powerful criminal organization is assassinated. The Sky and AMC series stars Ray Panthaki (Marcella), Joe Cole (Peaky Blinders), Lucian Msamati (His Dark Materials), Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You), Sope Dirisu (His House), Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones), and Pippa Bennett-Warner (Harlots).
The second season of Gangs Of London will see new faces enter the story. Waleed Zuaiter (Baghdad Central), French rapper Jasmine Armando makes her TV debut, Salem Kali (Dealer), Aymen Hamdouchi (Green Zone), and Fady El-Sayed (Baghdad Central) will all be new characters to the series to accompany the returning cast.
