In June Netflix renewed Jason Bateman’s crime drama series Ozark for a fourth and final season consisting of 14 episodes that will be divided into two parts. Speaking with Indiewire, the Golden Globe winning-actor has finally opened-up about the next season by confirming the official production start date. Bateman revealed that Netflix and their team are planning to begin filming on November 9 as they’ve been constantly in touch with consultants about the safety protocols needed during production.
“We’re going to start November 9,” Bateman said. “Everything is moving well toward that, and we’re very confident in the guidelines and protocols we’re going to be following. We’ve got tons of consultants, [and] we’re learning a lot from other productions.”
“The health and safety of our ‘Ozark’ family is our first priority,” the series’ production company MRC said in a statement. “Our team has approached return to production with a mandate of exceeding guidelines outlined by the CDC, government officials and others; and we expect our protocols to evolve as we learn from the industry and our own productions. As we aim toward a return, we are working with the unions, health officials, our consultants, and Netflix on our COVID safety guidelines and protocols. Upon approvals from our partners and the implementation of safety required in this new environment, we are targeting a November start date.”
In addition, he confirmed that he might not be able to direct any episodes of the final season due to health risks and in order to minimize major setbacks during filming.
“As normal, I was going to do the first two episodes, but as we were looking through the protocols, the guidelines, all the complications with COVID, [and] the producer side of me made me think it’s just not responsible to have one of the actors direct the first two, given that we’re still going to be getting our perimeter safe,” Bateman explained. “Because if one of the actors gets sick, we all have to go home for weeks. If one of the crew members gets sick — while I’m making sure their salary is protected while they’re in quarantine — we can hire a replacement. So it just didn’t seem smart for me to [direct] the first two [episodes].”
He continued, “As an actor, you just sit in your trailer until they’re ready for you, then you come on out, say your words, and go back to your trailer. As a director, you’re out there all the time: in pre-production, on location scouts, in production meetings, there are so many more opportunities to get infected. And, obviously, Atlanta is just raging with the virus right now… It’s breaking my heart. I love directing that show, but it just didn’t make any sense to start out the season like that.”
RELATED: Jason Bateman In Talks for Netflix’s Here Comes the Flood
In Ozark Season 3, They are all in. The Byrdes are back in business and the stakes have never been higher. As tensions mount surrounding their new casino, The Missouri Belle, Marty and Wendy struggle to balance their family’s safety with the growing success of their money laundering empire.
Last season, the series continued to follow Marty Bryde and his family as they navigate the murky waters of life within a dangerous drug cartel. With Del out, the crime syndicate sends their ruthless attorney Helen Pierce to town to shake things up just as The Byrdes are finally settling in. Marty and Wendy struggle to balance their family interests amid the escalating dangers presented by their partnerships with the power-hungry Snells, the cartel and their new deputy, Ruth Langmore, whose father Cade has been released from prison. The stakes are even higher than before and The Byrdes soon realize they have to go all-in before they can get out.
RELATED: Jason Bateman to Direct New Line’s New Thriller Film Shut In
Ozark stars Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Julia Garner, and season two newcomer Janet McTeer. Season 2 had earned two Emmy Awards including Outstanding Supporting Actress for Julia Garner and Outstanding Director for Bateman.
Seasons 1-3 are already available for streaming on Netflix.
ComingSoon.net recommends all readers comply with CDC guidelines and remain as isolated as possible during this urgent time.
