Due to the ongoing writers strike, production for the fifth and final season of Stranger Things has been halted. The series’ creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, expressed disappointment in their tweet, stating that while they were eager to start filming with their talented cast and crew, it was not possible under the current circumstances.
They expressed hope for a fair resolution to the strike so that everyone can return to work soon. Despite plans to begin filming this month, production for the final eight episodes of the popular Netflix series has been postponed indefinitely.
According to Netflix insiders, the show will not resume production until the writers strike has ended. Stranger Things fans will have to wait for the epic story of good vs. evil, played out between a group of kids in Hawkins, Indiana, and monsters from an alternate dimension, to reach its thrilling conclusion.
On Tuesday, negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and the studios regarding a new collective agreement broke down, leading to the commencement of a writers strike.
Demands for increased pay, minimum guaranteed work, the use of AI, streaming residuals, and transparency have created a stalemate between the two parties. As members of the WGA, the Duffers are among the many writers prohibited from performing any writing duties during the strike.
Although many shows have been impacted by the strike, the suspension of production for Stranger Things could potentially harm Netflix more than others. The science fiction series remains one of the streaming platform’s most popular titles, with 1.4 billion hours watched during the fourth season.
If the delay in production for Stranger Things is prolonged, it could have a noticeable impact on audiences, which would be unfavorable for Netflix as the streaming industry faces increasing pressure from Wall Street. In April, Netflix’s co-chief executive, Ted Sarandos, expressed that while the company hopes to avoid a strike, they have a significant number of upcoming shows and films from various regions and can serve their members well compared to others.
In addition to Stranger Things, the writers strike has affected numerous other projects, including the upcoming Marvel movie Blade, which has halted pre-production despite initial plans to begin filming next month. Hacks’ third season and Unstable’s second season have also suspended production until the strike ends. The writers’ rooms for Yellowjackets and Abbott Elementary were disbanded after coming together to plan for their upcoming seasons.
Several TV shows, including Billions and American Horror Story, have temporarily suspended production as a result of picketing writers disrupting filming locations. Evil has ended its fourth season early for the same reason, while Loot has halted its second season.
Late-night American shows such as Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show, and Jimmy Kimmel Live immediately went off-air when the strike began. It’s unclear how long the strike will last, but both sides have significant disagreements. Many analysts have predicted that the strike could continue until the end of the year, which would have a substantial impact on most streamers’ suspended production pipelines.
The directors and actors’ unions are due to negotiate new agreements with the studios by June 30, which could potentially serve as a blueprint for the writers’ union if they are able to come to an agreement. The directors and actors unions share similar points of contention, such as residual pay and transparency from streamers.
The previous writers strike, which occurred in 2007-8, lasted for 100 days and is estimated to have cost the Los Angeles economy more than $2 billion.
Source: News AU
