Just one day after announcing its new release date, the Jurassic World: Dominion crew has paused filming on the dinosaur blockbuster. Director Colin Trevorrow tweeted that a "few" members of the team tested positive for the coronavirus.
Although they all "tested negative shortly after," Trevorrow explained on Wednesday, Oct. 7, "due to our safety protocols we're going to pause for two weeks. Back soon."
The halt comes a day after the Universal Pictures film pushed back its release date from summer 2021 to June 10, 2022. It's unlikely the on-set coronavirus cases affected the decision, given that Trevorrow said he "woke up to the news" of the tests on Wednesday. It remains unclear who tested positive.
Star Bryce Dallas Howard praised Trevorrow for valuing their safety. "So grateful to @colin.trevorrow and the entire Jurassic family for prioritizing health and safety above all else" she wrote on Instagram on Wednesday. "Looking forward to finishing this up strong — I've never been more excited for a movie in my life."
Their social media posts featured a dino in a blue face mask to drive the point home.
"For the past three months, I've worked with an extraordinary cast and crew on a film we can't wait to share with the world," Trevorrow tweeted earlier on Tuesday about the release date. "Even though we'll have to wait a bit longer, it will all be worth it. Let's stay healthy and take care of each other until then."
Jurassic World: Dominion is the third installment in the Jurassic World series and sixth in the Jurassic Park film franchise. It will again star Howard as Claire Dearing and Chris Pratt as Owen Grady.
They'll be joined by original Jurassic Park stars Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill and Laura Dern.
The Marriage Story actress hyped up the movie on Tuesday when she tweeted, "Get ready..." along with the amber T-rex logo.
Trevorrow, who additionally serves as writer and executive producer, first revealed in September 2019 that the three core members of the 1993 classic would be reuniting.
At the time, no one was more thrilled than Dern's Big Little Lies co-star Reese Witherspoon. "I love every #JurassicWorld movie but now THIS?!?" Witherspoon tweeted. "Can I buy tix now?"
Pratt is equally as excited. "Thirty years of Jurassic legacy culminate in one epic final film," he wrote on Instagram on Tuesday. "Like the fabled monsters of 65 million years ago, this film too shall RULE THE EARTH."
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