Trouble ahead? The coronavirus outbreak has already had major implications on the well-being of humans, but it’s also beginning to target the financial success of planned Hollywood projects and much more.
Upcoming films, for one, have seen major impacts with the rise of the coronavirus. So far, films such as James Bond’s No Time to Die, Sonic the Hedgehog and Mulan have either postponed or cancelled their China runs altogether. According to Business Insider:, the outbreak could result in more than $1 billion of lost revenue for the film industry.
“There are so many moving parts and implications, not just for movie theatres but for public spaces in general,” Comscore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabediantold Business Insider on Friday, February 28. “The uncertainty is the one thing that is certain. At the end of the year, box-office numbers, particularly regarding China, are going to have an asterisk.” The outbreak has also resulted in the cancellation of music events and shut down of production on forthcoming projects. Green Day and BTS are among the musical acts who have been forced to push back tour dates in Asia. Mission: Impossible 7 and The Amazing Race pumped the brakes on their respective shoots. The coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, is an outbreak that stems from the coronavirus family, but the version that’s currently making the rounds is unlike anything that has been previously encountered. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the illness spreads primarily from person-to-person. Symptoms can include fever, cough and shortness of breath.
As of February 28, more than 83,000 cases have been reported and the death toll has risen to over 2,800.
“Outbreaks of novel virus infections among people are always of public health concern,” the CDC’s website reads. “The risk from these outbreaks depends on characteristics of the virus, including how well it spreads between people, the severity of resulting illness, and the medical or other measures available to control the impact of the virus (for example, vaccine or treatment medications).
The fact that this disease has caused illness, including illness resulting in death, and sustained person-to-person spread is concerning.”