The novel coronavirus rampaging the globe has caused a lot of collateral damage, much beyond the 3,000-plus body count. Case in point: Netflix’s already pricey blockbuster, Red Notice, was about to move production from Atlanta to Italy. But with the country becoming one of the virus’ bigger outbreak sites, the producers are now scrambling to find a new shooting location.
As per Deadline, the movie — which stars the combined powers of Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, and Ryan Reynolds — has used Atlanta as the main site for production. Even though producers are suddenly exploring other locations, they say this won’t cause a delay in production.
It’s not the only production whose schedule has been affected by the nation’s outbreak; The Amazing Race revealed on Friday that it was suspending production, while the next Mission: Impossible film’s plan to spend three weeks there has been postponed.
Johnson took to Instagram with a post seemingly meant to reassure fans that the film — in which he plays an Interpol agent pursuing the world’s top art thief, played by Gadot, with Reynolds as a peerless conman — would not be kept down.
Next to a picture of him smiling while standing next to Netflix CCO Ted Sarandos, Johnson reminded people that it’s the most expensive movie the streamer has yet produced; back in July the budget was reported to be as high as $200 million — even more than the price tags of Michael Bay’s 6 Underground, also with Reynolds, and Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman. “My handshake is my word,” he added. “Let’s get back to work. This is a fun one.”
The Red Notice shoot was already on high alert before the outbreak in Italy. TMZ has reported that Gadot had been forced by her employers to fly only by private plane, so as to avoid catching the virus on a commercial flight. Gadot had publicly sworn off private planes due to her environmental concerns, but the call, TMZ claims, was forced upon her.
