What's news: The coronavirus crisis is accelerating, as the NBA suspends its season, Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson test positive, CBS News impacted, Riverdale shuts down, TV shows go without audiences, and a slew of events get canceled. Harvey Weinstein gets 23 years but is back at Bellevue Hospital. Plus: News from Disney's shareholder meeting, and the Film Academy weighs bringing back the Oscars host. --Alex Weprin

 Coronavirus Crisis

As the World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, and President Trump said in a primetime address that travel from Europe would be suspended for 30 days, entertainment and media events are grinding to a halt as the coronavirus crisis deepens...

Infections hit sets and offices...

+Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have tested positive for the coronavirus, the actor has posted on his personal Instagram on Wednesday. Writing from Australia, where Hanks is filming Baz Luhrmann’s as yet titled Elvis Presley movie for Warner Bros., the actor wrote: "Hello, folks. Rita and I are down here in Australia. We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches. Rita had some chills that came and went. Slight fevers too. To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the Coronavirus, and were found to be positive."

+More: Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson are believed to have contracted the coronavirus in the U.S., or in transit from there, according to officials from Queensland Health, the Australian government department overseeing the outbreak of the disease in that state... Also: Their son Chet weighed in.

+U.S. stocks again plunged in early trading as investors continued to worry about the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. Among Hollywood stocks that were hit hard were Disney, whose stock fell 8 percent in early trading to drop below the $100 mark, and ViacomCBS, which lost 9.7 percent of its market value. Netflix's stock dropped 7.9 percent.

+The CW's Riverdale has shut down production of its fourth season after a member its their team came in contact with a person who tested positive for the coronavirus.

+CBS News president Susan Zirinsky told employees at the news division to work from home after two staffers tested positive for coronavirus.

Live events canceled...

+The NBA suspended its season. The league made the announcement Wednesday night, shortly after a Utah Jazz player tested positive for the virus. It is unclear what the next steps will be. The NHL said in a statement Wednesday that it is evaluating its options.

+California Governor Gavin Newsom has recommended the cancellation or postponement of gatherings of 250 or more people, which would include sports events, movie premieres and concerts, until “at least through March.”

+Disney has scaled back the European premiere of its live-action Mulan, cancelling the red carpet event due to take place in London's Leicester Square on Thursday evening.

+Hulu canceled the premiere of Little Fires Everywhere, which had been scheduled for Thursday.

+The Interactive Advertising Bureau is strongly recommending that presenters at its annual NewFronts event move to streaming-only productions amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus, with YouTube's Brandcast the first presentation to shift.

+The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Los Angeles' annual video game convention, has been canceled.

+The 2020 NAB Show, which was slated to begin April 18 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, has been canceled.

+The 31st annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York City have been canceled.

+The Overwatch League has canceled all events scheduled for March and April amid concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

On TV...

+The late night comedy shows will tape without audiences starting next week.

+Production on the 41st season of the CBS reality series Survivor has been delayed.

+The Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Awards have been postponed.

+The Academy of Country Music said its April 5 awards show will still go on at the MGM Garden Arena in Las Vegas, but officials are monitoring the spread of the coronavirus.



^The big reason why Hollywood isn't prepared to tackle a coronavirus pandemic. “The big events probably have insurance for interruption caused by a civil authority, but as an organizer, you can't just cancel because it's the right thing to do,” says LeConte Moore, managing director of DeWitt Stern’s entertainment and media practice. A leading insurance broker, Moore adds, “Well, you can [cancel], but it wouldn't be covered. Let's say an organizer wants to cancel out of safety. That's not a trigger. The virus is beyond their control, but it has to be something made necessary. It can't just be the fear of the virus spreading. That never has been or will be covered." The story.

►Let's not shake on it: Hollywood’s new meet-and-greet culture amid coronavirus. The global pandemic is changing everyday behavior, from CAA to SAG-AFTRA, as people choose between social bows and elbow bumps (which a top doc cautions against) and increasingly take virtual meetings. More.

►Why some Hollywood events haven’t been canceled: "We’re not there yet." Despite the worsening Coronavirus outbreak, some high-profile organizers are reluctant to postpone events as Dr. Barbara Ferrer predicts how bad it could get. More.

►Amid Coronavirus, Cannes hotel policy forces festival goers to decide now on attending. As the global film industry awaits a decision about the 2020 edition, fest regulars are grappling with the decision to commit to the event even if it does happen: "The hotels want half the money now. Maybe you give up your reservation." More.

+More: CAA, Paradigm and ICM are joining the slew of companies in Los Angeles and New York that are offering their employees work-from-home options... France has moved to help out film companies hurt by the coronavirus shutdown... Poland has become the latest country to close down cinemas and public institutions in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus... Diamond Comic Distributors has cancelled its 2020 retailer summit because of the spread of the Coronavirus. The event was due to take place April 14-16 in Orlando, Fla...

►11 things to watch if you’re stuck at home. Superior examples of escapist reality fare, a deliciously lurid high-school noir, a sweet YA fam-com and a network supernatural procedural are among recommendations for the self-quarantined from THR's TV critics Daniel Fienberg and Inkoo Kang. The list.

Here's what happened at Disney's annual shareholder meeting Wednesday...

►Bob Iger says Disney is "sobered" by global coronavirus impact. "Disney has been through a lot, including wars and economic downturns and disasters. We are incredibly resilient. Our future has always been bright and it remains so for good reason," Iger added. The story.

►Disney CEO Bob Chapek on replacing Bob Iger: "I do understand the gravity." "I've never been more excited — maybe that's to be expected — but I do understand the gravity of trying to fill this gentleman's shoes, but I'm ready for it and look forward to some great years ahead," Chapek told Disney's annual shareholders meeting in Raleigh, North Carolina. The story.

►Disney to release Peter Jackson Beatles documentary. The Beatles: Get Back, which will look at the recording of the band's final album, will premiere in the U.S. and Canada on Sept. 4. The story.

Elsewhere in TV...

--ABC has handed out an early fourth-season renewal for Grey's Anatomy spinoff Station 19... Netflix has handed out another early renewal to its enduringly popular Queer Eye reboot...

--WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey made $22.5 million in 2019, AT&T disclosed in a regulatory filing on Wednesday.

--The Writers Guild of America East has negotiated a first collective bargaining agreement with CBSN, the first anchored live-streaming news service to be unionized.

--When the time is right, The Bachelor team will check in with Peter Weber and Madison Prewett, ABC's reality chief Rob Mills tells THR.

--Sci-fi brand Heavy Metal is expanding its reach outside of comics via a new partnership with Allyance Media Group’s DiGa Studios, intended to bring original Heavy Metal content to television, film and more.

--Ratings: The finale of The Bachelor edged last season's closer in total viewers and dominated Tuesday's primetime ratings among adults 18-49, carrying ABC to a victory in the key ad demographic. NBC's This Is Us, meanwhile, recorded its lowest same-day ratings.

 23 Years

►Harvey Weinstein sentenced: Harvey Weinstein will spend 23 years in a New York State prison after being sentenced by Supreme Court Judge James Burke on Wednesday morning. Weinstein was convicted Feb. 24 of committing a Criminal Sexual Act in the first degree and third-degree rape.

--Weinstein's attorney Donna Rotunno called the sentencing "obscene" in a press conference outside the court house. "Of course it's too harsh. It's ridiculous," she said, speaking to reporters. "That number was obnoxious. There are murderers who will get out of court faster than Harvey Weinstein will. The story.

+Weinstein speaks at sentencing hearing: "I am totally confused." Speaking of the women who have accused him of misconduct, he said, "I have great remorse for all of you. I have great remorse for all women." Weinstein said he "believed" he had a "serious friendship" with Miriam Haley and Jessica Mann, two of the women he was convicted of sexually assaulting. "I'm not going to say that these aren't great people," he said, adding that he is "totally confused" by the charges. More.

+Harvey Weinstein returns to Bellevue Hospital due to chest pains. Rikers Island prison staff decided to send Weinstein back to Bellevue "for safety" and "he will be evaluated and likely will stay overnight," a spokesperson for Weinstein told THR. More.

+Meanwhile in Los Angeles: The process has begun for Harvey Weinstein to be sent to Los Angeles to face charges of sex abuse. The news from the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office was announced the same day the 67-year-old disgraced former movie mogul was sentenced to 23 years in prison by a New York City judge after being convicted of similar crimes there. A Los Angeles arraignment date has not been set. More.

+Mere minutes after Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison after being convicted of a Criminal Sexual Act in the first degree and third-degree rape, a number of his survivors gathered in Los Angeles for sexual assault survivor conference Echo. The coincidental timing made for an emotional and celebratory morning. The story.

►Fueled by streaming, global entertainment market hit record $100 billion in 2019. The report, released Wednesday, showed that combined revenue hit $101 billion, including an all-time high of $42.2 billion from the global box office and $58.8 billion from home entertainment/mobile (this excludes pay TV subscriptions). That's an 8 percent gain over 2019's $93.5 billion. Home entertainment revenue fueled the growth, recording a 14 percent uptick globally over 2019, while the traditional box office remained challenged. The story.

+Related: A detailed report released Wednesday by the Motion Picture Association helps to explain why moviegoing dipped in North America last year by 4 percent to $11.4 billion. More.

►Americans split over whether movie theaters should close amid coronavirus. About 38 percent of U.S. adults support shuttering theaters amid the outbreak, but 44 percent oppose the idea, a Hollywood Reporter/Morning Consult survey finds. The details.

Elsewhere in film...

--Exhibition giant and Regal owner Cineworld Group on Thursday reported higher 2019 earnings and revenue and provided an update on the coronavirus, saying its business impact has so far been "minimal." But it also said it has drawn up potential downside scenarios in case the spread does lead to cinema closures, with a particularly dire one posing a risk to its debt covenants.

--Justin Lowe reviews the Vin Diesel flick Bloodshot.

--Burhan Qurbani's Berlin Alexanderplatz, a modern-day adaptation of the 1930s-set literary classic, is the front runner for this year's German Film Awards, the Lolas, having picked up 11 nominations

--In a guest column for THR, former Attorney General Eric Holder writes that the new gerrymandering documentary Slay The Dragon offers a "path forward" to fix broken politics.

 Will The Oscars Get A Host Next Year?

►Film Academy's Oscars post-mortem leaves door open for return to hosted telecast. The Academy's board of governors convened on Tuesday night for its annual March meeting, at which the prior month's Oscars telecast is dissected. Sources tell THR that some of the 54 governors participated in-person at the organization's Beverly Hills headquarters, but many participated by phone. The story.

►Jason Statham parts ways with his reps — but who fired whom? Statham has parted ways with WME, and several sources tell THR's Borys Kit it was the agency, not Statham, that severed the relationship. However, other sources counter that it was Statham that cut ties. Reps for WME and the Hobbs and Shaw star declined to comment. At issue was the 52-year-old British actor’s abrupt March 3 exit from Sony’s The Man From Toronto, an action comedy co-starring Kevin Hart that was scheduled to start shooting in April. The story.

►Awards campaigning at Coachella? How October dates could affect Neon Carnival afterparty. With Coachella and Stagecoach being pushed back from April to October, the music festivals could now play a role in fall awards campaigns for Oscars season. More.



^The peculiar life of the man in the Big Lebowski house: An NBA superfan’s wild L.A. mansion. James Goldstein, the city's most unapologetic 80-year-old bon  vivant (and Lakers fixture), throws parties with models and Leonardo DiCaprio as he rushes to finish his architectural legacy: "The villains always live in the modern houses." More.

Revolving door: Activision Blizzard has named longtime Google executive Daniel Alegre as its new president and COO... Jack O'Connell has left CAA for UTA...

Casting roundup: Apple TV+ has given a series order to a kidnapping thriller, Suspicion, that will star Uma Thurman... Scott Foley will play a lead role in the Fox drama pilot The Big Leap... Jon Bernthal has been tapped to topline the Showtime drama American Gigolo...

What else we're reading...

--"Hollywood relies more than ever on streaming revenue from overseas" [WSJ]

--"What happens to media stocks when sports events do not happen?" [LightShed TMT]

--"There are too many celebrities. Here’s how we’re dealing with them as a society." [NY Times]

--"Xandr chief executive Brian Lesser resigns" [WSJ]

--"Vin Diesel is a human blockbuster" [The Ringer]

Today's birthdays: Mitt Romney, 73, Pete Doherty, 41, Jake Tapper, 51, Liza Minnelli, 74, Lesley Manville, 64.