Currently on hold: Several big Hollywood projects get pushed, suspended due to writers’ strike

It’s been over a month since writers in Hollywood declared a strike, and as the stalemate continues, echoes of the protest can be sensed in the industry, with work getting affected. The strike began on May 2, with multiple productions halting work, in solidarity with the demonstrations. The writers are demanding better pay, and protection against AI as a replacement tool for their work, among other concerns. The WGA strike was a result of six weeks of unsuccessful negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, representing several studios and streaming houses. Here’s a lowdown of the recent projects, which had to be suspended as an aftermath of the strike.

Spider-Man 4

Actor Tom Holland has revealed that work on Spider-Man 4 was in early stages, but is on pause at the moment. “We’ve put the meetings on pause in solidarity with the writers. Here’s been multiple conversations, but at this point it’s very, very early stages,” Holland told Variety.

Deadpool 3

The the much-awaited third part of Deadpool franchise has also suffered major hinderance. According to a recent Yahoo story, actor Ryan Reynolds, who is seen as the titular character, is unable to improvise or vary from the script due to the strike. Reynolds, as a producer, may, however, make modifications, but the association has requested that producers refrain from engaging in writing practices. It is not clear if the delay will push the release of the film or not.

Concerts postponed

Rapper Snoop Dogg has pushed his upcoming Hollywood Bowl show. “Due to the ongoing WGA strike and the DGA and SAG/AFTRA negotiations, we have decided to postpone the shows scheduled for June 27 and June 28 at the Hollywood Bowl. We stand in solidarity with the unions and are hopeful that the AMPTP will negotiate fair deals as soon as possible and everybody can get back to work,” the rapper wrote on Instagram. Dr. Dre, who is billed as the show’s producer, was also set to take the stage alongside Snoop for the June 27 and 28 shows. The concert will now reportedly take place on October 20 and 21.

Unstoppable

Jennifer Lopez’s Unstoppable, backed by her husband and actor Ben Affleck, is the latest film to shut down indefinitely. The film was being shot in Los Angeles and was disrupted by strikers earlier this week. Now, the makers hope to resume the shoot at a later date when things get settled.

Good Fortune

Sometime back, Aziz Ansari’s Good Fortune, starring Seth Rogen and Keanu Reeves, was suspended. In fact, it was the protesters who forced a shutdown of the film, which was being shot in Los Angeles’ Koreatown. There is no clarity on when the film is likely to resume shooting.

Thunderbolts

The shoot of upcoming film Thunderbolts has also taken a hit. As per Deadline, the studio has suspended production on the film, which was due to begin principal photography in Atlanta. The decision comes after pausing pre-production on Mahershala Ali film Blade.

The Old Man

The filming of the second season of The Old Man, starring Jeff Bridges, is suspended. According to Deadline, strikers forced the production of the drama series to stop. The production is on pause for the foreseeable future. It will resume sometime after the strike is over.

Stranger Things

Plans for filming the fifth and final season of Stranger Things have been paused for the time being . “Writing does not stop when filming begins. While we’re excited to start production with our amazing cast and crew, it is not possible during this strike. We hope a fair deal is reached soon so we can all get back to work. Until then — over and out,” tweeted co-creators and co-showrunners Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer.

The Batman’s Penguin spinoff

The Penguin, spin-off of The Batman, has also become casualty during the strike as production of the Colin Farrell-led series was halted. According to Deadline, the production was suspended on May 16 as they were set to film in New York. It is still unclear when the makers will return to set to resume the shoot.

Emily in Paris

The fourth season of Emily in Paris will be delayed because of the ongoing strike. According to Variety, the show was initially set to start filming in late summer or early fall in Paris, but filming has been delayed by two months. While there is no official word on the same, it is believed that the delay could stretch further.