Camila Cabello’s Cinderella back to work in the UK after COVID-19 shutdown

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Sony Pictures became another major studio to have one of their high-profile productions get back to work after being shuttered by the COVID-19 shutdown. Their take on CINDERELLA, starring pop star Camila Cabello, is resuming filming outside of London, with some low-level shooting commencing this week as the production felt safe and organized enough to move forward. Filming is expected to continue through the end of September.

The primary cast of the film expected to return for physical production includes Cabello, who is playing the title role, Minnie Driver as Queen Beatrice, Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Robert, Idina Menzel as the Stepmother, and Pierce Brosnan. Enhanced safety protocols are in place including widespread and extensive testing which took place during pre-production and will continue on during filming, with safety training seminars, social distancing, contact tracing, thorough daily disinfection and adherence to jurisdiction mandates and local guidance in place. COVID-19 testing occurs daily, and the bulk of what is left to shoot is largely exteriors in several towns and castles. The large crowd scenes, which could've been problematic, were all shot before the COVID-19 shutdown.

Actors and crew are staying separately in apartments and rehearsals have already been underway with the production crew and actors wearing masks, which can be taken off while they are performing. There have been no intermingling among production departments, and there’s been less crew-member presence on the set during filming. When it comes to the film's craft service, there’s no longer a buffet-style set-up, but rather individually wrapped and pre-boxed food to ensure safety.

CINDERELLA joins such notable Hollywood feature productions currently shooting abroad such as James Cameron's AVATAR sequels in New Zealand, Marvel’s SHANG-CHI at Fox Studios Australia, Universal’s JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION at Pinewood Studios outside London, and Sony’s UNCHARTED and Warner Bros/Village Roadshow’s THE MATRIX 4 both in Berlin.

CINDERELLA, currently scheduled for release on February 5, 2021, is a stylized musical re-imagining of the classic "Cinderella" story. Kay Cannon, best known for writing the first PITCH PERFECT, also wrote the film. The movie also stars James Corden, Jonathan Kadin, Shannon McIntosh. Billy Porter, and John Mulaney.