PETER RABBIT 2 DELAYED OVER CORONAVIRUS: With coronavirus infections still escalating around the world, Sony has opted to push the release the Peter Rabbit sequel by five months. This is the second major studio release to push its release date, after No Time To Die. The James Corden-fronted sequel was due to launch in Europe territories on March 27th, rolling out internationally the following week, and opening in the U.S. on April 3rd. Now, the film will roll out on August 7th worldwide.
DR. PHIL, JEOPARDY, WHEEL OF FORTUNE TO FILM WITHOUT AUDIENCES: Dr. Phil is joining a growing list of TV shows that will film episodes without studio audiences amid coronavirus fears. On Monday, Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune made the same move. Dr. Phil‘s executive producer Carla Pennington hopes to resume audience-tapings March 23rd.
JOHN BOYEGA TEAMS WITH NETFLIX: Star Wars actor John Boyega is teaming up with Netflix to develop a slate of films focusing on west and east Africa. The partnership will launch under his UpperRoom banner. Boyega said: “I am thrilled to partner with Netflix to develop a slate of non-English language feature films focused on African stories, and my team and I are excited to develop original material. We are proud to grow this arm of our business with a company that shares our vision.”
SCOTT RUDIN OFFERS $50 SEATS TO KEEP THEATERS FULL: Producer Scott Rudin is slashing ticket prices to $50 through March to ensure that his usually sold-out Broadway productions remain full if coronavirus concerns take a toll on attendance. His shows include To Kill a Mockingbird, West Side Story, The Lehman Trilogy, Who’s Afraid of Viriginia Woolf? and the Book of Mormon. In a statement, Rudin said, “As long as New York City is open for business, its beating heart remains the Broadway stage. This is an unprecedented opportunity for everyone to see a show that they otherwise might not have had easy and affordable access to. I can’t pretend that great theater is the panacea we’ve been waiting for, but in the meantime I think we could all use a few hours away from the evening news.”