‘Matilda’ follows ‘Bridgerton’ in suffering from Covid outbreak for Netflix – Deadline

EXCLUSIVE: Netflix has partially closed the production of the feature film Mathilde in the midst of a coronavirus outbreak, making this the streamer’s second UK shoot in as many days to be disrupted by the pandemic after we first told you that Bridgerton was interrupted on Saturday.

Deadline may reveal first unit of filming on Working Title Mathilde had to lower the tools yesterday following a positive Covid test. A source said the break could last up to 10 days. The second unit continues to fire.

The disruption to the West End musical adaptation comes as a third wave of coronavirus sweeps across the UK. There are now around 50,000 positive tests a day and the virus hit the heart of the government after Health Secretary Sajid Javid tested positive on Saturday, despite the double bite.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is now self-isolating after coming into close contact with Javid, which is somewhat ironic given that he continues to reopen the country on Monday, when all legal restrictions on social contact are removed.

Netflix’s testing regime is considered one of the best in the business, which may be why it uncovers a number of cases on its sets. Bridgerton interrupted indefinitely on Saturday after filming for season 2 recorded its second positive case in three days.

Based on Roald Dahl’s 1988 children’s novel, Mathilde stars Oscar winner Emma Thompson as Miss Trunchbull and Lashana Lynch as Miss Honey. Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough will play Matilda’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wormwood, and Sindhu Vee is the Mrs. Phelps librarian.

Tony and Olivier Prize winner Matthew Warchus, who directed Mathilde the musical for the West End and Broadway, directs the film adaptation. It is produced by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner of Working Title, Jon Finn and Luke Kelly of The Roald Dahl Story Company. The screenplay is adapted by Dennis Kelly with original music and lyrics written by Tim Minchin.

Sony Pictures UK and TriStar Pictures have set a theatrical release on December 2, 2022 for Mathilde in the UK and Ireland. Netflix will be released to the rest of the world in December 2022.