Hello, and welcome to another edition of The Monitor, WIRED’s entertainment news roundup. This time around we have a lot more news about the impact of the coronavirus on the entertainment industry. Also, Tina Fey has a new show coming to Netflix and there’s another Dracula movie in the works. Let’s get going.
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson Have Tested Positive for the Coronavirus
Late last night, Tom Hanks shared some surprising news on Instagram and Twitter: He and his wife Rita Wilson have tested positive for the coronavirus. Currently, the couple is in Australia, where Hanks is filming Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming Elvis Presley movie, and both got tested after they began feeling slightly ill. “We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches,” Hanks posted. “Rita had some chills that came and went. Slight fevers too. To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the coronavirus, and were found to be positive.” Hanks went on to say that he and Wilson “will be tested, observed, and isolated for as long as public health and safety requires.”
As the news broke, Warner Bros., which is producing Luhrmann’s film, also issued a statement, saying, “We are working closely with the appropriate Australian health agencies to identify and contact anyone who may have come in 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.”
Coachella Is Postponed Due to Covid-19
OK, let’s just get this out of the way: Right now, Coachella is the biggest rescheduling everyone is talking about—but it is just the latest. That said, yes, concert promoter Goldenvoice announced this week that Coachella, the annual outdoor music festival in southern California that Beyoncé graced with her presence in 2018, has been postponed “due to Covid-19 concerns.” Originally, the festival was supposed to take place on the weekends of April 10 and April 17. Now, it will be held on the weekend of October 9 and October 16. Stagecoach, another Goldenvoice event held on the same grounds as Coachella, will now be held October 23-25, instead of April 24-26.
“While this decision comes at a time of universal uncertainty, we take the safety and health of our guests, staff and community very seriously,” Goldenvoice said in a statement. “We urge everyone to follow the guidelines and protocols put forth by public health officials.”
