Baz Luhrmann has halted production on his Elvis biopic after star Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for coronavirus.
The as-yet-untitled film, in which Hanks plays Presley’s manager Colonel Tom Parker, went into pre-production on Australia’s Gold Coast at the start of the year and is slated for release in October 2021.
In a statement, Warner Brothers confirmed that the studio is “working closely with the appropriate Australian health agencies” and that the “top priority” is “the health and safety of our company members.”
“We have been made aware that a company member from our Elvis feature film, which is currently in pre-production in the Gold Coast, Australia, has tested positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus),” a spokesperson said.
“We are working closely with the appropriate Australian health agencies to identify and contact anyone who may have come into direct contact with the individual.
“The health and safety of our company members is always our top priority, and we are taking precautions to protect everyone who works on our productions around the world.
Tom Hanks – In pictures
1/52
A Beautiful Day In the Neighborhood (2020)
2/52
Tom Hanks in Big (1988)
3/52
Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump (1994)
4/52
Tom Hanks poses for photographers with his Toy Story character ‘Woody’, upon arrival at the screening for ‘Toy Story 4’ in London
Invision/AP
5/52
Tom Hanks in Splash (1984)
Disney
6/52
Dragnet (1987)
7/52
Tom Hanks appears on Michael Aspell and Company in 1988
8/52
Punchline (1988)
9/52
Joe Versus the Volcano (1990)
10/52
Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)
11/52
Tom Hanks shows off his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1992
AFP/Getty Images
12/52
Philadelphia (1993)
13/52
Tom Hanks in Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
14/52
Forrest Gump (1994)
15/52
Tom Hanks with Jessica Lange at the Golden Globe Awards
AFP/Getty Images
16/52
Tom Hanks poses with his Oscar at the 67th annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles
AFP/Getty Images
17/52
Tom Hanks in 1995
18/52
Tom Hanks holds his award after being honored “Man of the Year” by the Hasty Pudding Theatrical Club in 1995
AFP/Getty Images
19/52
Apollo 13 (1995)
20/52
Tom Hanks in Saving Private Ryan (1998)
21/52
Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in You”ve Got Mail (1998)
Getty Images
22/52
The Green Mile (1999)
23/52
Tom Hanks in Castaway (2000)
24/52
Castaway (2000)
25/52
Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks celebrate while showing their awards at the 54th annual Emmy Awards 2002
Reuters
26/52
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
27/52
The Road To Perdition (2002)
28/52
The Ladykillers (2004)
29/52
The Terminal (2004)
30/52
Tom Hanks in The Da Vinci Code (2006)
31/52
Charlie Wilson’s War (2007)
32/52
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)
33/52
Cloud Atlas (2012)
Jay Maidment
34/52
Dick Van Dyke and Tom Hanks attend the US premiere of Disney’s ‘Saving Mr. Banks’ in 2013
Getty Images
35/52
Tom Hanks photo bombs a wedding selfie
Tom Hanks
36/52
Tom Hanks in Captain Phillips (2013)
37/52
Tom Hanks in Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
38/52
Tom Hanks seen riding the New York subway in 2015
39/52
Tom Hanks, in Bridge of Spies (2015)
40/52
Tom Hanks in A Hologram for the King (2016)
41/52
President Barack Obama, left, hugs actor Tom Hanks, before presenting him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016, in Washington
AP
42/52
Tom Hanks and Felicity Jones in Inferno (2016)
43/52
Sully (2106)
44/52
Tom Hanks and Oprah Winfrey attend Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Relief at Universal Studios AMC on September 12, 2017 in Universal City, California
Getty Images
45/52
Tom Hanks and Patton Oswalt in a scene from The Circle (2017)
AP
46/52
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson attending the premiere of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again held at the Eventim Hammersmith Apollo, London in 2018
PA
47/52
Tom Hanks in The Post (2018)
48/52
Tom Hanks in The Post (2018)
49/52
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson attend The 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards 2018
Getty Images
50/52
Tom Hanks attends the European premiere of Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 4” at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on June 16, 2019 in London
Getty Images
51/52
Tom Hanks attends the European premiere of Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 4” at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square
Getty Images
52/52
Tom Hanks accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel
AP
1/52
A Beautiful Day In the Neighborhood (2020)
2/52
Tom Hanks in Big (1988)
3/52
Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump (1994)
4/52
Tom Hanks poses for photographers with his Toy Story character ‘Woody’, upon arrival at the screening for ‘Toy Story 4’ in London
Invision/AP
5/52
Tom Hanks in Splash (1984)
Disney
6/52
Dragnet (1987)
7/52
Tom Hanks appears on Michael Aspell and Company in 1988
8/52
Punchline (1988)
9/52
Joe Versus the Volcano (1990)
10/52
Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)
11/52
Tom Hanks shows off his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1992
AFP/Getty Images
12/52
Philadelphia (1993)
13/52
Tom Hanks in Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
14/52
Forrest Gump (1994)
15/52
Tom Hanks with Jessica Lange at the Golden Globe Awards
AFP/Getty Images
16/52
Tom Hanks poses with his Oscar at the 67th annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles
AFP/Getty Images
17/52
Tom Hanks in 1995
18/52
Tom Hanks holds his award after being honored “Man of the Year” by the Hasty Pudding Theatrical Club in 1995
AFP/Getty Images
19/52
Apollo 13 (1995)
20/52
Tom Hanks in Saving Private Ryan (1998)
21/52
Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in You”ve Got Mail (1998)
Getty Images
22/52
The Green Mile (1999)
23/52
Tom Hanks in Castaway (2000)
24/52
Castaway (2000)
25/52
Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks celebrate while showing their awards at the 54th annual Emmy Awards 2002
Reuters
26/52
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
27/52
The Road To Perdition (2002)
28/52
The Ladykillers (2004)
29/52
The Terminal (2004)
30/52
Tom Hanks in The Da Vinci Code (2006)
31/52
Charlie Wilson’s War (2007)
32/52
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)
33/52
Cloud Atlas (2012)
Jay Maidment
34/52
Dick Van Dyke and Tom Hanks attend the US premiere of Disney’s ‘Saving Mr. Banks’ in 2013
Getty Images
35/52
Tom Hanks photo bombs a wedding selfie
Tom Hanks
36/52
Tom Hanks in Captain Phillips (2013)
37/52
Tom Hanks in Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
38/52
Tom Hanks seen riding the New York subway in 2015
39/52
Tom Hanks, in Bridge of Spies (2015)
40/52
Tom Hanks in A Hologram for the King (2016)
41/52
President Barack Obama, left, hugs actor Tom Hanks, before presenting him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016, in Washington
AP
42/52
Tom Hanks and Felicity Jones in Inferno (2016)
43/52
Sully (2106)
44/52
Tom Hanks and Oprah Winfrey attend Hand in Hand: A Benefit for Hurricane Relief at Universal Studios AMC on September 12, 2017 in Universal City, California
Getty Images
45/52
Tom Hanks and Patton Oswalt in a scene from The Circle (2017)
AP
46/52
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson attending the premiere of Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again held at the Eventim Hammersmith Apollo, London in 2018
PA
47/52
Tom Hanks in The Post (2018)
48/52
Tom Hanks in The Post (2018)
49/52
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson attend The 75th Annual Golden Globe Awards 2018
Getty Images
50/52
Tom Hanks attends the European premiere of Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 4” at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on June 16, 2019 in London
Getty Images
51/52
Tom Hanks attends the European premiere of Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 4” at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square
Getty Images
52/52
Tom Hanks accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel
AP
“The individual who tested positive for COVID-19 is currently receiving treatment.”
The film also stars Austin Butler as Presley, as well as Maggie Gyllenhaal and Rufus Sewell as the singer’s parents Vernon and Gladys Presley.
In an Instagram post shared earlier today, Hanks, 63, revealed that he and Wilson had been tested for the virus after feeling “tired, like we had colds” and experiencing “body aches” and “slight fevers.”
“To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the coronavirus and were found to be positive,” he said, adding that they will now be “tested, observed, and isolated” for as long as necessary.
“The Medical officials have protocols that must be followed,” he said. “We Hanks’ will be tested, observed, and isolated for as long as public health and safety requires. Not much more to it than a one-day-at-a-time approach, no?”
He promised that he would “keep the world posted and updated.”
Luhrmann’s film is not the only production to have been affected by coronavirus. Last month, filming for the latest instalment in the Mission: Impossible franchise in Venice was halted after an outbreak in Italy.
The release date for James Bond film No Time To Die has also been pushed back from April to November after “careful consideration and thorough evaluation of the global theatrical market,” according to producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.
It will now hit UK screens on November 12.
Sony Pictures has also postponed the release of Peter Rabbit 2 from March 27 to August.
