As concern continues to grow over the worldwide spread of COVID-19, commonly known as coronavirus, many are taking proactive measures to keep themselves safe from the flu-like virus, which can be fatal in the most extreme cases.
A number of musical acts have canceled or postponed their shows, including BTS, Haim and Miley Cyrus. In addition, a slew of shows and movies have halted production due to the outbreak, including The Morning Show, Russian Dolland The Prom.
Filming on big blockbuster productions like Robert Pattinson's upcoming turn as the Caped Crusader in The Batman and the latest dinosaur installment of Jurassic World: Dominion have been delayed.
On top of that, large-scale events are being canceled and museums are shutting down temporarily. Broadway shows are also closing due to coronavirus concerns.
The ACM awards -- scheduled for April 5 in Las Vegas -- has been postponed, and Nickelodeon also postponed the 2020 Kids' Choice Awards, which was scheduled to be hosted by Chance the Rapper at the Forum in Inglewood, California.
The Paley Center also announced that dates for PaleyFest 2020 at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre -- which was set to honor shows like Modern Family, Outlander, Star Trek: Picard, The Mandalorian and more -- were being postponed.
As for sporting events, the NBA, MLB, NHL and MLS have all suspended their seasons.
Infectious disease researcher Dr. Ravina Kullar spoke with ET in early March about the threat of the virus, saying at the time that she was supportive of organizations canceling public events like festivals and conventions, especially in areas with higher concentrations of confirmed coronavirus cases. "I think that's a good idea. Until we get a handle and grasp on this virus, I think we need to take precautionary measures."
Here's a look at some more major cancellations around the world by category. Check back regularly for new updates.
FESTIVALS & CONVENTIONS
- BeautyconLA 2020 - The convention announced via social media on March 11 that their Los Angeles convention, planned for Aug. 1-2, would be rescheduled to Dec. 5-6, with all tickets honored for the new dates. "While we are optimistic that COVID-19 will be better understood by summer, many of our partners have been impacted by the delays and closures of their partners throughout Asia and other parts of the world," they said in a statement. Beautycon NYC is still set for Oct. 31-Nov. 1, while Beautycon Tokyo has been postponed until 2021.
- CinemaCon 2020 - It was announced on Wednesday that the annual convention, which was scheduled to run from March 30 to April 2, has been canceled, according to a statement released by John Fithian and Mitch Neuhauser, the president and managing director of the National Association of Theatre Owners, who organize the high-profile industry event. "It is with great regret we are announcing the cancellation of CinemaCon 2020. Each spring, motion picture exhibitors, distributors and industry partners from around the world meet in Las Vegas to share information and celebrate the moviegoing experience. This year, due to the travel ban from the European Union, the unique travel difficulties in many other areas of the world and other challenges presented by the Coronavirus pandemic, a significant portion of the worldwide motion picture community is not able to attend CinemaCon. While local outbreaks vary widely in severity, the global circumstances make it impossible for us to mount the show that our attendees have come to expect. ... We look forward to continuing the 10-year tradition of presenting the largest movie theater convention in the world and joining our attendees in future celebrations of the moviegoing experience."
- Coachella - After lots of speculation, Goldenvoice announced on March 10 that they would be rescheduling the 2020 music festival from April 10-12 and April 17-19 to Oct. 9-11 and Oct. 16-18. "While this decision comes at a time of universal uncertainty, we take the safety and health of our guests, staff and community very seriously. We urge everyone to follow the guidelines and protocols put forth by public health officials," the production company said in a statement, noting that they would honor April tickets in October and offer refunds for those not able to attend.
- Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3 (Los Angeles)- The world's premier event for computer and video games and related products was canceled after originally being set for June 9-11. "We are very disappointed that we are unable to hold this event for our fans and supporters," E3 said in a statement. "But we know it’s the right decision based on the information we have today."
- PaleyFest LA 2020 - On March 11, the Paley Center announced that dates for 2020 PaleyFest at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre -- which was set to honor shows like Modern Family, Outlander, Star Trek: Picard, The Mandalorian and more -- were postponed. "Based on the most recent news and out of an abundance of concern, we have made the difficult decision to postpone this year’s PaleyFest. While we were looking forward to presenting another stellar lineup of PaleyFest events, the safety of our event participants, guests, and staff is the highest priority," the Paley Center announced in their statement. "We are exploring options to reschedule the festival and all ticket purchases will be honored for the new dates."
- RuPaul's DragCon LA - On March 10, it was announced that RuPaul's DragCon LA 2020 -- which was supposed to take place from May 1-3 at the Los Angeles Convention Center -- has been canceled. It will be postponed until 2021, and anyone who already bought tickets will be refunded. "DragCon's first priority is always the health and safety of everyone involved and we've been actively tracking the situation around the coronavirus," a message from the event's organizers reads. "Unfortunately, there's no way for anyone to know what the situation will be like in May. Due to that uncertainty, and out of an abundance of caution, we've decided that it's in the best interest of the talent, staff, and attendees to cancel RuPaul's DragCon LA 2020. DragCon LA will return in 2021, better than ever."
- Stagecoach - Goldenvoice announced on March 10 that they would be rescheduling the country music festival from April 24-26 to Oct. 23-25. "While this decision comes at a time of universal uncertainty, we take the safety and health of our guests, staff and community very seriously. We urge everyone to follow the guidelines and protocols put forth by public health officials," the production company said in a statement, noting that they would honor April tickets in October and offer refunds for those not able to attend. Following the announcement, headlining act Dan + Shay took to Twitter to announce that they would not be able to make the rescheduled dates due to their planned tour. "We apologize to our fans in Southern California, and promise to make it up to you soon."
- SXSW (Austin, Texas) - The film, media and music festival announced their cancellation on March 6, sharing, "The City of Austin has canceled the March dates for SXSW and SXSW EDU. SXSW will faithfully follow the City’s directions. We are devastated to share this news with you. 'The show must go on' is in our DNA, and this is the first time in 34 years that the March event will not take place. We are now working through the ramifications of this unprecedented situation."
- TCM Classic Film Festival - TCM broke the news in a tweet that the event that was to be held April 16 through April 19 in Hollywood would be canceled. "Nothing is more important to TCM than the safety of our fans. In light of the increasing public health concerns related to coronavirus, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 #TCMFF," read the message.
- Tomorrowland Winter 2020 (Alpe d'Huez, France) - The winter installation of the electronic dance music festival was forced to cancel just two weeks before its kickoff. "In light of the recent worldwide outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and the call from the French government to cancel large-scale events with over 5,000 attendees and welcoming international guests, Tomorrowland Winter 2020 in Alpe d’Huez (France) is forced to cancel this edition," read a statement on the FAQ page of the festival's website.
Tribeca Film Festival - The annual film festival was set to take place from April 15-26, but announced it was postponing this year's event on March 12. "We founded the Tribeca Film Festival as a way to heal our community after the devastation of the 9/11 attacks in 2001," Jane Rosenthal, co-founder and CEO of Tribeca Enterprises, said in a statement. "We were determined to overcome our fear and anxiety by joining together. It is in our DNA to march forward while caring about our community. We have made the difficult decision to postpone the 19th Tribeca Film Festival (April 15-26) based on the announcement by Gov. Andrew Cuomo that events of 500 people or more are banned due to the spread of the novel coronavirus. We are committed to ensuring the health and safety of the public while also supporting our friends, filmmakers and storytellers who look to Tribeca as a platform to showcase their work to audiences. We will be back to you shortly with our plans. Please check www.tribecafilm.com for the latest updates, ticket refund information and details about how we are moving forward." ETONLINE.COM
