Here’s What the Mayor of Gotham Had to Say about Working on Set During COVID

Earlier this year, we were treated to a trailer for the new The Batman movie starring Robert Pattinson and directed by Matt Reeves. It's a resetting of the universe and the promise of another trilogy within the DC realm. 

But COVID-19 paused shooting when the movie's star caught the virus. 

They returned to the project (and eventually finished) but on a set that looked nothing like it did when filming began. 

Actress Jayme Lawson, who plays a character named Bella Reál who is running for mayor in the movie, recently spoke to the Hollywood Reporter about her time on set.

She began by describing the experience as a whole.

"What’s interesting is we didn’t get much done before COVID hit. And so, from when I was there, the feeling on that set was far from sterile, in my experience. So it’s not going to be the same kind of intimacy that you get on Farewell Amor. But just by nature of the story, what the storyline requires, and the nature in which everything is conducted, there was still a sense of familiarity on that set, whether you knew people for years or were just showing up. Now, during COVID, it’s just hard to have that kind of intimacy on a set right now and you can feel everybody wanting to. When I went back out in October and I saw the crew, I almost cried because I hadn’t seen these faces in so long. Everybody wants to hug and touch and talk, but we’re on a tight schedule and we can’t because of protocols. But the feeling is still there and the desire is still there."

I think that's an interesting way to describe the nature of a movie set, and how it changed after COVID-19. Of course, people are eager to get back, but there's a real caution now. It's not just about doing your job, but about making sure you're healthy and that you respect other people's health. 

Sets are fluid and vibrant. It's hard to imagine that energy within the idea of maintaining social distance. 

Still, they were able to finish their movie safely. That movie is probably the most valuable WB property. It's developing a world they want to build out not just in movies but on TV as well. I cannot imagine the wait between being on set and waiting to come back. 

Lawson explained the long summer to THR.

"[...] I remember talking with [producer] Dylan Clark over the summer. I’d ask him questions and he’d keep me up to date with the protocols. So they’ve been very forthcoming and open about making sure that we feel safe and have whatever we need, at any moment. So I feel absolutely safe being on set for that production."

Safety in these times is very important, especially with tentpoles. It seems like after the Pattinson scare, the movie took every precaution to make sure they could get through the shoot.

It'll be interesting to keep tabs on how these movies shoot and who has success with different COVID-19 plans. 

Hopefully, we are not dealing with this when it comes time for the Batman sequels. 

The Batman is currently expected to hit theaters on March 4, 2022. 

Source: The Hollywood Reporter