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Sony delays ‘Ghostbusters,’ ‘Morbius’ until 2021 amid coronavirus pandemic

Paul Rudd in the first official trailer for 'Ghostbusters Afterlife.' The film is scheduled for a July 8, 2020 release. Sony Pictures

As a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Sony Pictures — following in the footsteps of many other film distribution companies — is postponing the worldwide releases of myriad upcoming movies.

The upcoming Ghostbusters reboot, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, as well as Marvel‘s Morbius are included in the list of postponed features, according to a representative of Sony.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife, directed by Jason Reitman, was slated for a July 10 release but has been pushed until March 5, 2021. Morbius — the Jared Leto-starring film about Marvel’s “living vampire” antihero — was supposed to hit theatres on July 31, but will make its debut on March 19, 2021 instead.

Also joining the lengthy roster of flicks affected by COVID-19 is Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway and the Paul Weitz-directed drama Fatherhood.

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Click to play video: 'Ghostbusters: Afterlife trailer'
Ghostbusters: Afterlife trailer

The former was originally set for a summer release but has been pushed until Jan. 15, 2021, with Fatherhood being pushed from Nov. 23 to the same date as the Peter Rabbit sequel.

Additionally, Uncharted, the video game franchise-inspired movie, has been delayed due to the global pandemic.

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Initially planned for a March 5, 2021 premiere, core fans and PlayStation lovers will have to wait until Oct. 8, 2021 to see Tom Holland star as Nathan Drake, the series’ main character.

On top of that, Greyhound, the upcoming Tom Hanks-starring warm film inspired by C. S. Forester’s The Good Shepherd novel (1955), has been postponed. While it was set to premiere on June 12, its rescheduled release is yet to be determined, Sony said.

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This illustration provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in January 2020 shows the 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). THE CANADIAN PRESS/CDC via AP, File

Marvel fans have been hit with a “to be determined” release date, too.

The movie? Sony didn’t make that clear but did reveal that the “untitled Sony/Marvel” collaboration was initially scheduled for release on Oct. 8, 2021 — the new date for Uncharted.

Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:

Health officials caution against all international travel. Returning travellers are legally obligated to self-isolate for 14 days, beginning March 26, in case they develop symptoms and to prevent spreading the virus to others. Some provinces and territories have also implemented additional recommendations or enforcement measures to ensure those returning to the area self-isolate.

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Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.

Click to play video: 'What’s cancelled or postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic?'
What’s cancelled or postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic?

To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out.

For full COVID-19 coverage from Global News, click here.

adam.wallis@globalnews.ca
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