Production crew on The Batman are ‘working round the clock’ to try and film scenes without Robert Pattinson who is in self-isolating after testing positive for Covid-19.
The Hollywood actor, 34, who is understood to have turned up on set with a temperature – will have to stay away from filming for 14 days while he recovers and to ensure he doesn’t spread the deadly virus.
Amid fears that halting production for two weeks could cost as much as £5 million, the film’s director Matt Reeves is trying to film as much as he can at the Warner Bros. Studio in Leavesden, Hertfordshire, without his leading man.
EXCLUSIVE: Batman crew are working ’round the clock’ to shoot without Robert Pattinson after he tested positive for Covid-19 – amid fears a production shutdown could cost £5million
Any of the 130-strong crew who did not have direct contact with Pattinson are being asked to return to work and sets that had been prepared are being moved from studio G to another studio.
‘Anything that can be shot and does not involved Pattinson will now go ahead,’ a set insider told MailOnline.
‘That includes scenes with his body double. The aim is to get as much done as possible before he returns and the hope is that none of the other actors get the virus.
‘Crew can be replaced as most are freelance and hired for the duration of the shoot but it would be disastrous if another major actor gets the virus.
Halted: The Hollywood actor, 34, who is understood to have turned up on set with a temperature – will have to stay away from filming for 14 days while he recovers and to ensure he doesn’t spread the deadly virus
‘Production staff are working round the clock to get things moving and allow some filming to take place.’
MailOnline revealed how The Batman was thrown into chaos after Pattinson tested positive for Covid 19.
He had arrived at the studio and told the on-set nurse he had an ‘elevated temperature.’
A subsequent electronic temperature test meant he was sent home and told to undergo a test for the virus.
The result came back positive on Thursday causing an immediate shut down on production.
Without naming Pattinson, a Warner Bros studio statement said: ‘A member of The Batman production has tested positive for Covid-19, and is isolating in accordance with established protocols. Filming is temporarily paused.’
A source said: ‘Production staff are working round the clock to get things moving and allow some filming to take place’
A source on the film confirmed to Vanity Fair that Pattinson was covid positive while it was common knowledge among crew he had led to the shutdown.
’We have been sent a memo telling us that a member of the crew has had a positive Covid-19 test,’ the insider told MailOnline.
‘Everyone was talking on the set how Robert Pattinson had an elevated temperature when he turned up for work. It was common knowledge among the crew.
‘We did not know if he is the person who has tested positive, but we all guessed it was.
‘If it was a member of the crew they could be replaced and shooting could continue. Only when filming stops altogether you know it’s one of the principals involved.’
As Pattinson is young and fit he is expected to make a full recovery and be able to resume filming which had only resumed this week after being shut down in early March due to the pandemic.
Production: Filming of the new movie called ‘The Batman’ had only resumed three days before after being shut down in early March due to the pandemic
A crew member said: ‘Everyone was looking forward to getting back to work and its come as a blow that production has stopped just three days after we began filming.
‘We have all been told to stand down until further notice and we are not expecting to be back filming for at least two weeks.’
The source said many of the crew found it ironic that the Batman movie had been stopped by coronavirus as the killer virus is thought to have originated from bats.
‘There is a irony to all this in that you would think Batman would be immune seeing as it all started from bats,’ said the insider.
Production crews had gathered at the studios in Leavesden, Hertfordshire, in August to work on sets after most had been placed on furlough.
Reeves still has three months of filming to complete with the eagerly anticipated film due to be released to theatres in October 2021.
Unrecognisable: Irish star Colin Farrell plays The Penguin and his prosthetic make-up was so realistic that other castmates didn’t recognise the actor when he turned up on set
Filming at Leavesden, where the Harry Potter movies were made, is taking place under the working title of Vengeance.
The shutdown will cost Warner Bros hundreds of thousands of pounds and possibly even delay the release of the movie which is said to be a grittier take on the Marvel comic book hero.
When production was halted in March, Robert had to stay in the UK along with other cast members.
Others who live in Los Angeles have returned but had to stay in quarantine for two weeks before turning up on the set in accordance with Government guidance.
MailOnline has contacted a spokesperson for Leavesden and Robert Pattinson for comment.
Pattinson, best known for his roles in the Twilight movies, took on the role of the caped crusader last year after Ben Affleck, who had been developing the ninth film featuring Batman, dropped out.
Irish star Colin Farrell plays The Penguin and his prosthetic make-up was so realistic that other castmates didn’t recognise the actor when he turned up on set.
Jeffrey Wright, who plays Commissioner Gordon said on The Jess Cagle Show: ‘I’ve worked with that makeup artist before and it’s just incredible.
‘Colin walked on to set one day and I walked right passed him [laughs] I was like, “OK, hey dude what’s happening, where’s Colin? Are we going to shoot?” It was, it’s pretty remarkable.’
The transformation was revealed in a teaser trailer released last week by director Reeves at a fan event in the US.
The new film sees Batman pitted against his usual enemies with Paul Dano playing The Riddler.
Zoe Kravitz stars as Catwoman and John Turturro portrays crime boss Carmine Falcone.
Lead: Robert, best known for his roles in the Twilight saga movies, took on the role of the caped crusader last year after Ben Affleck dropped out