Robert Pattinson RETURNS to the Batman set after contracting coronavirus and halting production

Robert Pattinson has returned to The Batman set after he contracted coronavirus and halted production for two weeks, MailOnline can reveal. 

The 34-year-old actor, who was seen out and about in London with his partner Suki Waterhouse on Wednesday, resumed work on Thursday morning.

An insider told MailOnline: ‘Today is the first day the main production unit has returned to filming and there seem to be no other hiccups at the moment.’ 

The source added that a significant part of the film was supposed to be shot in Liverpool but due to coronavirus the shoot had been cancelled and re-arranged several times, shifting the completion date for the project back even further.

Liverpool will play an important role in The Batman as American filmmaker Matt Reeves, who is directing the upcoming superhero film, revealed recently at DC FanDome, a virtual convention held by DC Comics and Warner Bros.

During an interview, he confirmed Liverpool would be the backbone for Gotham City as they shoot the remaining 75 per cent of the film.

The source also revealed that other films including Fantastic Beasts 3 had been affected by positive Covid-19 results, but none affecting the principle stars.

‘Other productions have had some smaller Covid alerts amongst crew or third party staff; no more so than Fantastic Beasts 3 whose dialect coach was confirmed positive on September 10. 

‘Fortunately the systems in place on that production meant the unit could continue to work without a hiatus.’

Pattinson was seen for the first time since testing positive for coronavirus on Wednesday as he enjoyed a park date with girlfriend Suki in London.

The actor appeared to be on the mend, in the UK, you are required to self-isolate for at least 10 days if you have symptoms or have tested positive for the virus.  

MailOnline has contacted a spokesperson for Leavesden and Robert Pattinson for comment.

Earlier this month, MailOnline revealed that production crew were ‘working round the clock’ to try and film scenes without Robert after he contracted Covid-19 and was forced to self-isolate for two weeks.  

The Hollywood actor, who was understood to have turned up on set with a temperature, had to stay away from filming for 14 days while he recovered.

It came amid fears that halting production could cost as much as £5 million with the film’s director Reeves trying to film as much as he could at the Warner Bros. Studio in Leavesden, Hertfordshire, without the leading man.

Any of the 130-strong crew who did not have direct contact with Pattinson were asked to return to work and sets that had been prepared were moved from studio G to another studio.

‘Anything that can be shot and does not involved Pattinson will now go ahead,’ a set insider told MailOnline at the time.

‘That includes scenes with his body double. The aim is to get as much done as possible before he returns and the hope is that none of the other actors get the virus. 

‘Crew can be replaced as most are freelance and hired for the duration of the shoot but it would be disastrous if another major actor gets the virus.

‘Production staff are working round the clock to get things moving and allow some filming to take place.’

MailOnline revealed how The Batman was thrown into chaos after Pattinson tested positive for Covid 19.

He had arrived at the studio and told the on-set nurse he had an ‘elevated temperature.’

A subsequent electronic temperature test meant he was sent home and told to undergo a test for the virus.

The result came back positive causing an immediate shut down on production.

Without naming Pattinson, a Warner Bros studio statement said: ‘A member of The Batman production has tested positive for Covid-19, and is isolating in accordance with established protocols. Filming is temporarily paused.’

A source on the film confirmed to Vanity Fair that Pattinson was Covid-19 positive while it was common knowledge among crew he had led to the shutdown.

‘We have been sent a memo telling us that a member of the crew has had a positive Covid-19 test,’ the insider told MailOnline.

‘Everyone was talking on the set how Robert Pattinson had an elevated temperature when he turned up for work. It was common knowledge among the crew.

‘We did not know if he is the person who has tested positive, but we all guessed it was.

‘If it was a member of the crew they could be replaced and shooting could continue. Only when filming stops altogether you know it’s one of the principals involved.’   

A crew member added: ‘Everyone was looking forward to getting back to work and its come as a blow that production has stopped just three days after we began filming.

‘We have all been told to stand down until further notice and we are not expecting to be back filming for at least two weeks.’

The source said many of the crew found it ironic that the Batman movie had been stopped by coronavirus as the killer virus is thought to have originated from bats.

‘There is a irony to all this in that you would think Batman would be immune seeing as it all started from bats,’ said the insider. 

Production crews had gathered at the studios in Leavesden, Hertfordshire, in August to work on sets after most had been placed on furlough. 

Reeves still has three months of filming to complete with the eagerly anticipated film due to be released to theatres in October 2021.

Filming at Leavesden, where the Harry Potter movies were made, is taking place under the working title of Vengeance.

The shutdown will cost Warner Bros hundreds of thousands of pounds and possibly even delay the release of the movie which is said to be a grittier take on the Marvel comic book hero.

When production was halted in March, Robert had to stay in the UK along with other cast members.

Others who live in Los Angeles have returned but had to stay in quarantine for two weeks before turning up on the set in accordance with Government guidance.  

MailOnline contacted a spokesperson for Leavesden and Robert Pattinson for comment at the time.   

Pattinson, best known for his roles in the Twilight movies, took on the role of the caped crusader last year after Ben Affleck, who had been developing the ninth film featuring Batman, dropped out.

Irish star Colin Farrell plays The Penguin and his prosthetic make-up was so realistic that other castmates didn’t recognise the actor when he turned up on set.

Jeffrey Wright, who plays Commissioner Gordon said on The Jess Cagle Show: ‘I’ve worked with that makeup artist before and it’s just incredible.

‘Colin walked on to set one day and I walked right passed him [laughs] I was like, ‘OK, hey dude what’s happening, where’s Colin? Are we going to shoot?’ It was, it’s pretty remarkable.’

The transformation was revealed in a teaser trailer released in August by director Reeves at a fan event in the US.

The new film sees Batman pitted against his usual enemies with Paul Dano playing The Riddler.

Zoe Kravitz stars as Catwoman and John Turturro portrays crime boss Carmine Falcone.