Los Angeles, March 11 (IANS): The release of "Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway" has reportedly been delayed until August due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Sony officials are said to have decided to put the release of the film, the follow-up to 2018's hugely successful "Peter Rabbit", for more than four months, reports aceshowbiz.com.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the movie will not release on March 27, and will instead receive an international and US release on August 7.

The move follows the delay to the release of the latest James Bond film, "No Time to Die" until November.

"Peter Rabbit" and its sequel star James Corden as the voice of author Beatrix Potter's mischeivious bunny, with Margot Robbie and Elizabeth Debicki also voicing characters.

The move comes after Italian officials announced that all its cinemas were to be closed, and other European governments advised people to take precautions to avoid the spread of the virus.