Lord Of The Rings TV Show Stops Production Due To COVID-19

Production on the big-budget Lord of the Rings TV show in New Zealand has been shut down amid concerns around COVID-19 (coronavirus). The New Zealand Herald reports that the shutdown was ordered on Sunday evening. Production will be suspended for at least two weeks.

A memo sent to cast and crew also mentioned that "there are no clear answers to when we will resume production." This is a big move for one of the largest productions in the world, as the Lord of the Rings show employs a gargantuan staff of around 800 cast and crew.

The memo was sent by the production company GSR Productions, but Amazon has not officially commented at this time.

"In an abundance of caution, UAP [Untitled Amazon Project] has suspended production for the next two weeks commencing Monday, March 16," the statement said. "This is done in an environment where travel restrictions directed at the control of COVID-19 are issued daily by New Zealand and most other countries."

"We are doing this to minimise stress on the resources and infrastructures around us by doing our part to reduce population density in our communities and daily activities, in efforts to help reduce the spread of the virus," the statement goes on to say.

New Zealand has eight confirmed cases of COVID-19, as of March 16. The country recently announced a self-isolation strategy that requires everyone who enters New Zealand to self-quarantine for 14 days, and they must detail their plan upon entering the country.