'Fantastic Beasts 3' production halted after coronavirus diagnosis

Production on the third Fantastic Beasts film has been shut down after a “team member” tested positive for coronavirus.

The Harry Potter spin-off, which stars Eddie Redmayne and Jude Law, has been filming at Warner Bros Studios in Leavesden, Hertfordshire.

However, production has been paused following a positive test amongst the cast and crew.

A Warner Bros Pictures spokeswoman said: “A team member from Fantastic Beasts 3 has tested positive for COVID-19.

“The diagnosis was confirmed as a result of required and ongoing testing that all production employees receive, and the team member is currently in isolation.

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“Out of an abundance of caution, Fantastic Beasts 3 paused production and will be back up in accordance with safety guidelines.”

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They did not confirm the identity of the person who tested positive.

Fantastic Beasts 3 was originally due to begin filming in March 2020 but the coronavirus pandemic prompted Warner Bros to postpone until September.

Johnny Depp later stepped down from the role of dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald after losing his high-profile libel case against the Sun newspaper over an article which labelled him a “wife beater”.

Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, whose credits include Bond villain Le Chiffre and Dr Hannibal Lecter in the television series Hannibal, was subsequently announced as his replacement.

Coronavirus has continued to disrupt the film and TV industry.

Filming on the forthcoming Batman film starring Robert Pattinson resumed in the UK in September after it was paused as a precaution against coronavirus.

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Pattinson had tested positive for the illness, US outlets Variety and Vanity Fair previously reported.

The film had already been delayed by the onset of the pandemic.