Back in March, Netflix’s “The Witcher” became the first series to halt production in the UK. Cast and crew had already begun working on season two of the hit series when the coronavirus pandemic forced worldwide lockdowns.
“Cast and crew health is our primary concern. We are dealing with an unprecedented global pandemic that is beyond our control, and in many instances with mandates or restrictions imposed by governments (including travel restrictions in many countries),” a Hollywood Reporter source stated at the time.
“As such, we have made the decision, effective immediately, to pause production for two weeks during this difficult time, and we will support our production partners working on Netflix UK scripted series in doing the same. This will allow everyone the time to make informed decisions about how to move forward.”
Now, according to Deadline, Netflix announced they will resume production on “The Witcher” beginning August 17. The Henry Cavill-helmed series shoots at Arborfield Studios, roughly 40 miles west of London. The series premiered on Netflix back in December and quickly became the streamer’s most demanded show worldwide.
According to Parrot Analytics, the series was so popular with viewers it beat Disney+’s “The Mandalorian” as the top global series the week of Dec. 23, coming in just behind “Stranger Things” as the streamer’s most popular U.S. show.
Parrot Analytics’ ranking is determined by “demand expressions,” a metric that measures engagement and viewership of a series. “ The Witcher” grabbed 127 million vs. 115 million for “The Mandalorian.”