Will Smith-starrer Emancipation pauses production after positive COVID-19 tests

Will Smith's upcoming runaway slave thriller film Emancipation, directed by Antoine Fuqua, has paused production following positive COVID-19 tests in the crew.

The production of the film started two weeks ago in Louisiana, United States. According to Deadline, the shoot is expected to be paused for at least six days.

Written by William N Collage, Emancipation will tell the story of Peter (Smith), who escaped the slavers and ran away to join the Union Army. A photo of his scorched back taken way back in 1863 is standing evidence of the horrors of slavery in the US. The film will be a thriller about the escape of Peter through the treacherous swamp of Louisana, outwitting hunters and their dogs. It is said that the film's tone will be similar to Apocalypto (2006).

Emancipation was originally slated to film in Georgia. However, Georgia's controversial restrictive election law, signed by Republican Governor Brian Kemp, led to the project moving its production to Louisiana, where the actual events in the movie took place.

The film will be produced by Smith and his Westbrook Studios partners James Lassiter and Jon Mone as well as Joey McFarland of McFarland Entertainment and Todd Black of Escape Artists.