Riverdale has suspended production due to the coronavirus outbreak. The CW show discovered a real threat to their beloved cast and crew, prompting drastic measures to be taken.
News broke as a brand new episode of Riverdale aired, giving viewers more insight into why Donna (Sarah Desjardins) hated Jughead (Cole Sprouse). Fans also discovered the reason she felt the need to attempt to kill the beanie-wearing writer.
Why Riverdale shut down production
According to Variety, Riverdale suspended production after someone on set came in contact with a person who tested positive for the coronavirus. Warner Bros. Television released a statement regarding the decision to stop shooting new episodes.
“We have been made aware that a team member from ‘Riverdale,’ which is produced in Vancouver, was recently in contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19. The team member is currently receiving medical evaluation,” began the message from the studio to Variety.
The statement continued, explaining the priority of The CW and Riverdale is the health and safety of all employees.
“We are working closely with the appropriate authorities and health agencies in Vancouver to identify and contact all individuals who may have come into direct contact with our team member,” read the statement.
The spokesperson continued by stating that, “The health and safety of our employees, casts and crews is always our top priority. We have and will continue to take precautions to protect everyone who works on our productions around the world. Out of an abundance of caution, production on ‘Riverdale’ is currently suspended.”
Remaining episodes and production resume date
Riverdale has aired 16 of the 22 episodes in Season 4. The CW show had already planned not to air new episodes until April 8, when the show returns with its annual musical event.
#Riverdale production has been shut down due to coronavirus scare. pic.twitter.com/8Aoz4PLXFq
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) March 12, 2020
Like all television shows, Riverdale shoots episodes weeks in advance before it airs on the network. However, it remains to be seen how many episodes the show had left to film in Season 4.
Depending on when production resumes and the number of episodes that need to be shot, the shutdown may not impact the Riverdale Season 4 finale date. Warner Brothers did not reveal in their suspension statement when production on The CW show would resume.
The news that Riverdale has shut down production comes as several television shows have suspended filming in front of a live studio audience due to the virus threat. The View, Jeopardy!, Wheel of Fortune, and New York late night-shows are only a few that will not be taping with an audience for now.
Riverdale airs Wednesday at 8/7c on The CW.