Stranger Things has become the latest victim of the Writers Guild of America strike, as production on the final season has been turned upside down. The Duffer Brothers took to Twitter to let their fans know that due to the strike, which officially began on May 2nd, filming would have to be halted.
Filming on the fifth and final season of Stranger Things was set to begin next month, but with the strike now in full swing, there is no telling just when cameras will roll. This could also push back the streaming debut, although an original date was yet to be announced anyway. With the eerie and foreboding season four finale suggesting that Hawkins is headed for its darkest times yet, fans will have to hang on that cliff a little while longer.
In their statement last week, the WGA wrote, “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.” The Hollywood Reporter notes that “the guild is seeking viewership transparency from streamers, increased wage floor, and protections against mini-rooms and the use of artificial intelligence.” The strike will at least give David Harbour some time to take a break from his diet of cheeseburgers.
Stranger Things joins an ever-growing list of productions that have been slowed due to the strike, including Marvel’s Blade, Netflix’s Cobra Kai and HBO’s House of the Dragon.
This is the first WGA strike since the one in 2007-2008. That strike, which lasted over three months, had a tremendous impact on the film and television world, with projects in the Bond, X-Men and Transformers franchises falling victim in one way or another, while TV saw dozens of shows seeing episodes cut, seasons refocused and staff fired. Still, the longest strike in WGA history was in 1988, lasting 153 days…And that, boys and girls, is how we ended up with the atrocious rushed script for Halloween 4.
How do you feel about Stranger Things joining the list of content being affected by the Writers Guild of America strike? Give us your take on the situation in the comments section below.
