The COVID-19 pandemic has been having an ever-evolving effect on the film and TV industry, with the majority of productions still shut down due to the virus’ spread. That being said, a handful of productions are either restarting production or gearing up to in places with less outbreaks, whether its The Matrix 4 in Berlin, Avatar 2 in New Zealand, or a handful of The CW’s shows in Vancouver. According to a new report, CBS‘ reboot of Magnum P.I., which films in Hawaii, could soon join that list. The series is reportedly targeting a mid-August date to start up production on its upcoming third season.
Hawaii has reportedly had the lowest rate of infection and death in the United States, with less than 950 cases statewide as of Thursday. Eighteen people have died from the virus in the state. The state currently has a mandatory 14-day self-isolation in place until the end of July, after which out-of-state visitors will be able to avoid quarantine if they have a negative COVID-19 test taken within three days after their arrival.
If Magnum P.I. is able to successfully start up production in Hawaii, it would be the first series to be able to do so on American soil. The virus’s spread is already affecting potential production restarts in places like Georgia, California, and New York, all of which have significantly more cases.
The new Magnum P.I. stars Jay Hernandez (Suicide Squad, Scandal) as the title character, famously played by Tom Selleck in the original 1980-1988 series, who decides to become a private investigator in Hawaii after returning from service in Afghanistan. The series also stars Perdita Weeks, Zachary Knighton, Stephen Hill, Tim Kang, and Amy Hil. The series exists within the “Lenkov-verse” as fellow CBS series Hawaii Five-O and MacGyver.
What do you think of Magnum P.I. potentially restarting production in August? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
h/t: Deadline
