Shooting for Hollywood film shuts down after vaccinated cast get Covid

July 26, 2021

EXCLUSIVE: Lights, camera, shutdown! Action film starring Jamie Foxx and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is at a standstill after the Game of Thrones star and three others test positive for Covid-19 despite being FULLY vaccinated

Production for upcoming action-thriller God is a Bullet has been temporarily suspended in Mexico after four cast members contracted Covid-19
DailyMail.com can reveal the film’s main star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, actress Maika Monroe, Paul Johannson and director Nick Cassavetes all tested positive
The positive diagnosis comes despite all four being fully vaccinated
Johannson said he has been bedridden and is being monitored every day by doctors while he quarantines in a hotel in Mexico City
‘It’s been a bit tougher for me because I have a history of respiratory illness. I think I’m the only one who’s not doing well,’ he told DailyMail.com
The actor said he couldn’t fault the production team who took every precaution but still fell victim to the virus
The cast had been filming in Mexico City and other locations in the country since May, and were due to shoot with Foxx in New Mexico this month

Shooting for a multi-million dollar Hollywood movie starring Jamie Foxx, January Jones, and a Game of Thrones lead actor has been shut down after four fully vaccinated cast members got Covid – with one bedridden and under daily monitoring from doctors.

The Notebook, Alpha Dog and She’s So Lovely director Nick Cassavetes was forced to halt filming in Mexico for his new film, God is a Bullet, after the virus ravaged his cast, despite them all receiving both shots of the vaccine.

A source close to the production team told DailyMail.com that the movie’s star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who played Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones, has tested positive, as well as Cassavetes himself.

Production for new Nick Cassavetes film, God is a Bullet, has been suspended after four fully vaccinated cast members including director (far left) lead actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (center) actress Maika Monroe (far right) and actor Paul Johansson tested positive for Covid-19

Johannson (pictured in 2019) told DailyMail.com he has been bedridden and is being monitored every day by doctors while he quarantines in a hotel in Mexico City. The actor revealed the virus hit him particularly hard because has a history of respiratory illness

Fellow cast member Paul Johansson told DailyMail.com that he had been laid up for days by the virus, and is being monitored every day by doctors while he quarantines in a hotel in Mexico City.

The source said actress Maika Monroe also tested positive.

Jamie Foxx and January Jones had not yet joined the cast for filming and so avoided the outbreak.

Johansson said the outbreak was particularly worrying as the entire cast had already received the full vaccine, and were following strict rules on set of mask-wearing, distancing and daily Covid testing.

He added that the virus, which his doctors believe is the new and virulent Delta strain, hit him particularly hard as he has a history of respiratory illness.

‘I’m actually not doing too well, I’m pretty ill right now,’ Johansson croaked, breaking off for bouts of coughing fits.

‘It’s been a bit tougher for me because I have a history of respiratory illness. I think I’m the only one who’s not doing well.

‘I’m still in Mexico City. The rest of the cast is in New Mexico. I’m in isolation in a hotel, but my doctor comes every day.’

The cast had been filming in Mexico City and other locations in the country since May, and were due to shoot with Jamie Foxx in New Mexico this month

The first images from the set of God is a Bullet movie was released by production company Patriot Pictures last month

Johansson said the outbreak is particularly worrying as the entire cast had already received the full vaccine, and were following strict rules on set of mask-wearing, distancing and daily Covid testing

The actor, who has appeared in TV shows One Tree Hill, Mad Men, Van Helsing, and NCIS, said that he couldn’t fault the production team who took every precaution but still fell victim to the virus.

‘The production was really, really careful. Everybody was tested. I was tested on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday. I tested positive on Monday. It literally just snuck up out of nowhere,’ he said.

‘We’re really mask-positive and I was really impressed with the way everything was handled. There’s absolutely no way I could fault anyone.

‘There were people on set all the time making sure everything was being run properly.

‘But this delta variant is a beast. It’s not like the one before. I don’t think there’s any fault, the world’s dealing with the same problem.

‘We’re in a new phase now, and I really hope people get the word.

‘As soon as I felt symptoms I called and they immediately sent a doctor who tested me.

‘I haven’t been to the hospital but we’re in talks about maybe having me moved.’

The source claimed that executives running the $14million-budget film turned down insurance against disruptions by Covid-19 because of its hefty price tag of around $800,000. Pictured: Nick Cassavetes on set in May 2020

Co-stars Jamie Foxx and January Jones avoided the outbreak because they had not joined the cast for filming in Mexico

The source claimed that executives running the $14million-budget film turned down insurance against disruptions by Covid-19 because of its hefty price tag of around $800,000 – opting instead to take strict precautions on set and have close monitoring by doctors and nurses.

But the alleged decision could now put production in danger of a permanent shutdown by the Covid outbreak.

‘At the time, it was $800,000. That’s a big pill to swallow. It might have even been more, with the number of productions shut down because of Covid.

‘Every day there’s a production being shut down,’ the source said.

‘They were really protective and strict, they had doctors and nurses on set. You weren’t allowed to work until you were cleared. But something went wrong somewhere.’

The cast had been filming in Mexico City and other locations in the country since May, and were due to film Foxx in New Mexico this month.

The source said Foxx was only available for a short window of time to shoot his part in the movie; a window which is swiftly closing amid the delay.

Cases of the new delta variant continue to emerge across the US despite vaccination efforts

Johansson, who had received both doses of the Modern vaccine, said the outbreak on set should act as a warning against complacency, even among vaccinated people

Action-thriller God is a Bullet is about a detective, Bob Hightower, played by Coster-Waldau, who quits the force to go rogue and infiltrate a satanic cult that murdered his ex-wife and kidnapped his daughter.

‘Bob is frustrated by bumbling botched official investigations,’ the movie’s IMDB synopsis says.

‘Bob quits the police force, gets tattoos, and infiltrates the cult to hunt down the charismatic cult leader, Cyrus, with the help of the cult’s only female victim escapee, the brilliantly damaged, Case Hardin [played by one of the covid victims, Monroe].

‘Bob is led down the rabbit hole to save his daughter and Case seizes the opportunity to claim back her power from the cult that took so much away from her.’

Johansson said the outbreak on the movie set should act as a warning against complacency, even among vaccinated people.

‘I was fully vaccinated with a Moderna shot several months ago. It’s an important reminder to people to practice safety despite their status,’ he said.

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