With work on many films and TV shows screeching to a halt because of the U.S. writers’ strike, HBO’s House of the Dragon Season 2 will continue filming as usual. According to a source close to the marque production, scripts for the next batch of episodes are complete. This detail implies filming in the U.K. will press on while the fates of other programs enter a limbo period.
Per our earlier report:
The Writers Guild of America has declared they have officially gone on strike against Hollywood studios. This decision will mark the first time in 15 years that the writers have gone on strike. Deadline reports that the Guild’s negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers had fallen through when trying to reach an agreement on a new film and scripted TV contract.
The Writers Guild sent out a message to their members saying, “Though we negotiated intent on making a fair deal – and though your strike vote gave us the leverage to make some gains – the studios’ responses to our proposals have been wholly insufficient, given the existential crisis writers are facing. We must now exert the maximum leverage possible to get a fair contract by withholding our labor. Members of the Negotiating Committee, Board and Council will be out with you on the picket lines.”
Less than an hour after attempted talks with the studios ended and three hours before their current standing contract expired, the Guild would release a statement saying,
“Following the unanimous recommendation of the WGA Negotiating Committee, the Board of Directors of the Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) and the Council of the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), acting upon the authority granted to them by their memberships, have voted unanimously to call a strike, effective 12:01 AM, Tuesday, May 2.
The decision was made following six weeks of negotiations with Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Disney, Discovery-Warner, NBC Universal, Paramount and Sony under the umbrella of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The WGA Negotiating Committee began this process intent on making a fair deal, but the studios’ responses have been wholly insufficient given the existential crisis writers are facing.
The companies’ behavior has created a gig economy inside a union workforce, and their immovable stance in this negotiation has betrayed a commitment to further devaluing the profession of writing. From their refusal to guarantee any level of weekly employment in episodic television, to the creation of a “day rate” in comedy variety, to their stonewalling on free work for screenwriters and on AI for all writers, they have closed the door on their labor force and opened the door to writing as an entirely freelance profession. No such deal could ever be contemplated by this membership. Picketing will begin tomorrow afternoon.”
While many films and TV shows will pause, such as the sixth and final season of Netflix’s Cobra Kai, House of the Dragon fans can rest knowing work continues on the Game of Thrones prequel series. Picketing events related to the writers’ strike are now outside of Netflix’s Hollywood offices, CBS TV City near the Grove, and other studios, including Disney, Universal, and more. With any luck, the dueling parties will arrive at new terms, and work can resume sooner rather than later.
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