Chris Hemsworth thriller scraps Australia filming plans amid Covid spike, to film in Europe instead

Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey

Get our The Life Cinematic email for free

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice

Chris Hemsworth’s new film Extraction 2 has moved its filming location from Australia to Prague due to a spike in Covid-19 cases in the Oceania country.

On Friday (27 August), the crew was informed by Netflix and producers Joe and Anthony Russo’s production company, AGBO Productions, that they have to cease production in New South Wales.

A source told Variety: “Hemsworth’s tight schedule and the growing uncertainties associated with shooting in Australia make relocation a safe choice.”

The 38-year-old actor is also scheduled to be back in Australia by end of the year to start pre-production of Mad Max prequel Furiosa.

The original Extraction arrived on Netflix on 24 April 2020 and was watched by more than 90m households in its first month alone.

The movie followed the story of Hemsworth’s character Tyler Rake, an Australian mercenary hired to rescue the kidnapped son of an Indian drug lord.

Australia’s Covid cases have been increasing steadily for the first time since the global pandemic began.

According to reports, two major hospitals in Sydney set up emergency outdoor tents to help deal with the rising number of patients last week.

Extraction 2 is expected to be released in 2022.