‘Saturday Night Live’ Forced to Shut Down Production Over Coronavirus Fears

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) — “Saturday Night Live” postponed its next three episodes because of coronavirus concerns, a source close to the NBC sketch comedy show confirmed to Variety.

“SNL” was supposed to return on March 28 with host John Krasinski and musical guest Dua Lipa. But since “Saturday Night Live” films in front of a live audience in New York City, one of the epicenters of the coronavirus outbreak, the postponement was inevitable.

But the cancellation is the latest disruption in the entertainment world, which has seen dozens of television shows and movies shut production down in the past week. In fact, Krasinski was hosting the show to promote the sequel to “A Quiet Place,” which was postponed indefinitely last week. Its was originally scheduled to hit theaters March 18.

On March 7, Daniel Craig, whose James Bond movie “No Time To Die” has been pushed until November, hosted “Saturday Night Live.” His opening monolog mentioned the delay, which had happened earlier that week.

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The domino effect of the coronavirus continues apace. On Monday, Universal Pictures announced it would release “Trolls World Tour” on VOD instead of releasing it in theaters on April 10. The studio also announced that recent films “The Invisible Man,” “The Hunt,” and Focus Features’ “Emma” will be available for a 48-hour rental period at a suggested retail price of $19.99 as of March 20 — a previously unheard of shortening of the theatrical window.

Hollywood Crushed by Coronavirus Fears — Billions Lost as Box Office Hits Record Low

In a press conference on Monday, President Donald Trump said that the pandemic might last until July or August. And though he said he has no plans yet to call for a national quarantine, movie theaters, Broadway theaters, amusement parks, schools, restaurants, concerts, and most places where the public gathers have shuttered in order to try to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

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