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Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis movie delayed by two weeks as star Tom Hanks recovers from coronavirus

Work has resumed on Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis movie on the Gold Coast today, with filming pushed back to allow star Tom Hanks time to recover from coronavirus

Tom Hanks tests positive for coronavirus

BAZ Luhrmann’s Elvis movie has been delayed by two weeks to allow star Tom Hanks time to recover from coronavirus.

The Courier-Mail can confirm all cast and crew returned to pre-production today on the big-budget Warner Bros. film, five days after work was halted, with filming scheduled to begin in approximately two weeks.

Instagram image of Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks while they are in hospital for coronavirus
Instagram image of Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks while they are in hospital for coronavirus

At that time Hanks, who is in Queensland to film his role as Elvis’ manager Colonel Tom Parker, will have been released from isolation.

The Academy Award winner is in quarantine on the Gold Coast for the mandatory 14 days after he and wife Rita Wilson confirmed on Thursday that they both contracted coronavirus.

Luhrmann sent a letter to cast and crew on Thursday morning requesting they stay home, outlining that production had been “cancelled and will not resume until further notice”.

Subsequently filming has been pushed back until Hanks can return to set.

“We are aware of only the one case of the coronavirus amongst our cast and crew, and additionally the cast member’s wife,” A spokesperson for the film told The Courier-Mail. “Working closely with the Queensland Health Department we have delayed our start date by approximately two weeks to allow for the cast member’s full recovery”.

Instagram post from Tom Hanks who along with his wife Rita Wilson test positive for coronavirus in Australia they are in a Gold Coast hospital in Isolation.
Instagram post from Tom Hanks who along with his wife Rita Wilson test positive for coronavirus in Australia they are in a Gold Coast hospital in Isolation.

It comes as film sets and studio audiences around Australia and the world are being cancelled to protect against the spread of the virus.

The Elvis production was already nearly two weeks behind schedule after recent rain events on the Gold Coast flooded parts of the Village Roadshow Studios set.

Originally published as Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis movie delayed by two weeks as star Tom Hanks recovers from coronavirus

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/queensland/baz-luhrmanns-elvis-movie-delayed-by-two-weeks-as-star-tom-hanks-recovers-from-coronavirus/news-story/a6ab798986184801291b4aa86d4ae834