‘Fantastic Beasts 3’ Shoot Suspended After Crew Member Tests Positive For COVID-19

The shoot of Fantastic Beasts 3 has been temporarily suspended after a crew after an unspecified crew member tested positive for COVID-19.

Based on characters created by J.K. Rowling, the “Harry Potter” spinoff, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 3”,  was in production at the Warner Bros. studio facility in Leavesden, U.K.

According to Warner Bros., the diagnosis was confirmed as a result of required and ongoing testing that all production employees receive, and the team member is currently in isolation. Out of an abundance of caution, ‘Fantastic Beasts 3’ paused production and will be back up in accordance with safety guidelines.”

Directed by David Yates, the filming of the film was due to start filming in March 2020, but owing to the first wave of the pandemic the shooting was pushed back to September.

Fantastic Beast 3 stars Eddie Redmayne and Jude Law and will see Mads Mikkelsen replacing Johnny Depp as Dark Wizard Gellert Grindelwald.

Fantastic Beast Farchise last year saw the departure of Jhonny Deep after losing the case against British tabloid The Daily Mirror.

In November 2020, The studio in a press release said that Mads Mikkelsen has been cast as Dark Wizard Gellert Grindelwald in the third “Fantastic Beasts” film.