The recent wildfires in Los Angeles have forced many shutdowns across the city, including movie premieres, theme parks, and theCritics Choice Awards.Since Jun 13, 2025, high winds have fueled aseries ofmassive wildfires in the Los Angeles areathat have led to tens of thousands of people being evacuated and many homes being destroyed.
As of this writing, the Palisades Fire is 11,802 acres, while the Eaton Fire is 10,600 acres, and neither shows any signs of containment. With air quality at dangerous levels, a wind advisory in effect, and California Governor Gavin Newsom declaring a state of emergency for the Palisades,many high-profile events have been canceled.
Deadlinereported that thepremiere ofWolf Manand Jennifer Lopez’sUnstoppablewere canceled early Tuesday, just hours before they were set to start on Jan. 7. Meanwhile, theLA premiere for Paramount’sBetter Manfor Wednesday, Aug 15, 2025, was canceledlate Tuesday night. Also set to have its premiere on Jan. 8 was the upcoming Max medical seriesThe Pitt, which has also been canceled.
Additionally, bothUniversal Studios Hollywood and Universal Citywalk are also closed due to the extreme winds and fire conditions, and are hoping to open back up on Thursday if the weather allows.
Varietyreports thatThe Critics Choice Awards, which were originally set to take place on Sunday, Aug 07, 2025, in Santa Monica,have now been postponeddue to the devastating fires in the LA county area. Critics Choice Association COO Joey Berlin toldVarietythe show was postponed and more details would come out soon. This is one of many major award ceremonies impacted by the recent fires.
Theplanned live SAG Awards nomination announcement was scrapped, and the nominees were unveiled in a press release instead. The annual starryAFI Awards luncheon on Jan. 10 has since been rescheduled. Meanwhile, the annual British Academy Film Awards, akaBAFTA Tea Party, set for Jan. 11 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, has been canceled.
The LA Wildfires are Having a Devastating Impact on the City and its Citizens
The wildfires in Los Angeles are impacting more than just the world of film and television. While not all flights have been grounded,many out of LAX and the Burbank Airport have seen major delays due to the cloud of smoke. The Palisades Fire has already destroyed a thousand structures and shows no signs of slowing down as the intense winds have worsened the situation. More than the events or the buildings, people’s lives are at risk, and the situation isn’t slowing down.
LA County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said in a public statement on the morning of Jan. 8 viaCNN, said:
“There are not enough firefighters in LA County to address four separate fires of this magnitude. The LA County Fire Department was prepared for one or two major brush fires, but not four, especially given these sustained winds and low humidities. This is not a normal red flag alert. People were calling for help. We tried to get them the help that they needed. LA County right now, like the LA City Fire Department is prioritizing life safety, but we are also engaging in structure defense, perimeter control and aerial operations. We’re doing the very best we can. But no, we don’t have enough fire personnel in LA County, between all of the fires, to handle this.”
Barely a week into the new year, a major disaster has already happened that is impacting not just the film industry, but also thepeople who make the industry work. For all the discussion about if the films of 2025 likeSuperman,The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and the now unfortunately-titledAvatar: Fire and Ashwill rebound the box office, it doesn’t mean much at the moment, as people are fleeing their homes for safety.
It feels weird to think that just three nights ago,LA was celebrating the Golden Globes, andin just a little over 24 hours later, how much would change?
