The effects of the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike continue reverberating through the entertainment industry, with the insanely successful adaptation of The Last of Us caught in the crossfire. Casting for season two of the hit show has ground to a halt, with series co-creator and showrunner Craig Mazin spotted on the picket line, supporting the strike (GQ has a great primer if you're totally lost).
According to a new report from Variety, preparations for casting had been underway but will now be indefinitely placed on hold until the strike has been resolved. There are even reports of the casting team asking auditioning actors to read lines taken directly from the game on which the upcoming season will be based, The Last of Us: Part II, due to the fact that there are no writers producing scripts.
While it's still too early to tell how this all shakes out, it is hoped that shooting will resume in Vancouver in early 2024. Mazin wrote the majority of the nine-episode first season, with the seventh episode, "Left Behind", being penned solely by one of the original creators of the IP and the co-president of Naughty Dog himself, Neil Druckmann. The two joined forces for both the series premiere and finale, sharing writing credits.
Could the writer's strike have lasting effects on HBO's The Last of Us? The last time the WGA went on strike, essential series like Lost and Heroes never recovered — proof it's important to take care of your writers. Show your solidarity in the comments section below.
[source variety.com]
Comments 29
Removed - unconstructive; user is banned
Removed - unconstructive
Man, so much trash TV and films came out of the last big strike, hope it doesn't happen again. They're probably trying to get a pay rise now before AI takes over writing scripts for everything and they're out of jobs
Who cares. I know the ending anyway.
Good. I’d rather they shut down production than be a bunch of scabs.
don't use AI and put the writers out of work. it's a reasonable compromise for the corporate shills but the greed prevails.
Last strike in 2007 was 100 days. I don't see how this one ends until the networks break the union and the writers. So no point in casting now, it could be a year before they need them to start filming. And does anybody really want to see season 2 anyway? 🤷♂️
@rjejr Stupid question considering how widely popular and successful season 1 was
I think in the end the really talented writers like stranger things, the new karate kids, and tlou writer will find works even if the strike failed, while other less talented writers (hack basically) like lotr ring of power, velma, new cleopatra, etc writer will be out of jobs.
Ai is like camera for painter and photoshop for cameraman, after these 2 things take off, a lot of less talented painter and cameraman are out of jobs, only the very best of them that survive.
@Porco I think even the writers use ai, they just don't want the studios use it too and put most of them out of jobs lol. In the future rather than a lot of writers writing for some show, I can see only one writers helped by ai that's writing the same shows.
@wiiware Having a laugh if you think AI can write good scripts. It would need a lot of editing to be anywhere close. Also they’re not just striking because of AI, but streaming residuals and writer rooms.
@rjejr I hope they will break the networks for a difference and they will. Pay a honest living wage lets hope they do the same with games.
@wiiware AI doesn't it use material from the writers and rehash it. AI art also just steals art and copies it. I'm also really baffled why people keep cheering for companies that abuse workers.
@rjejr a lot of people want to watch it
Oh man I remember the last writers strike. The show Heroes became an unwatchable mess in season 2 with the lack of writers.
They better put their shows on wait if they don't want to destroy them like that.
I think a "content" hiatus would be good. Would be able to catch up on some shows and have more time to digest them.
Also gives Bella Ramsey a chance to age a little more between seasons since there was quite the time gap between 1 and 2.
UP THE WORKERS
@tameshiyaku
I love this idea! A sixth-month writers' strike would allow me to get caught up on my viewing.
@Vivisapprentice
Trouble is, AI can't replicate human experience, writers will never be out of a job.
@rjejr yes, yes they do.
@Flaming_Kaiser Networks have sports, news and reruns, they don't need to pay the writers anything,. If people stop watching tv what are they going to do, go outside? 😂 (Well after we're all done playing Zelda)
If the strike were only against the networks or the streamers than the writers would have a chance as they could pit 1 group against the other, but the rich owners of both hold all the power here, the owners could all retire wealthy right now, they don't need to work another day their entire lives. The know the writers have families to feed, they need the work, they'll break, even if if takes a year.
The fact is the class war is over, the working class lost, the rich have more money than they know what to do with but they still don't like to share, the greedy *****. 🤑
@SmiggleMcJiggle @Icey664 "how widely popular and successful season 1 was"
Good point. I guess a lot more people watched the show than played the 2nd game. That game is not going to lend itself well to a tv series though, it just isn't. Wait until the reviews come out, season 2 will be well below season 1. Season 2 of TLoU may be worse reviewed than season 8 of GoT.
To all the people looking forward to it who never played the games, I say to thee, be careful what you wish for. 🤷♂️
@SolaceCreed See above, you were a tad late to the party. 😂
I’m so glad this won’t be out until after the next US election as the fallout of the story in this on modern culture could have handed it to the Dems.
@Eagly Some people want the most mundane, meaningless work to pay a livable wage. That's not realistic. I'm not saying that's what these workers are btw just to be clear. I'm making a more general statement.
Were they earning an unlivable wage? I don't know.
I am actually quite pro union but when someone like McDonald's or Starbucks workers unionize I think it's silly and takes away from the importance of the pro union message.
@ShadowofSparta The studio only need one good writers, then that writer will use ai to help him/her, rather than hiring additional writers.
@Flaming_Kaiser Because most writers suck? I means seriously, they're nasty as heck, taking something that beloved and destroying it by inserting themselves in to their shows. I don't care about these peoples.
I means, most people like scooby doo, but the writers write velma instead. The witcher shows writers <hate and mocked> the original materials (the books), henry cavill is fan of the books and he leaves because the writers seems didn't want to make the shows using the source materials. They make blood origins instead, which failed btw. And there's still lotr ring of power and cleopatra.
I am 100% pro writer and hope they get everything they are asking for, without any lowering of expectations.
@rjejr You're just part of a vocal minority that just can't let people enjoy things for some reason. If you didn't like Part 2 fine, just don't go pushing your hate in other people's faces. Move on dude, it's just a game.
@Icey664 "Move on dude, it's just a game."
If you can't read a comment in a comments forum, where people express a variety of opinions, without getting upset then maybe you shouldn't be reading comments at all? Maybe stick to only reading your own posts? Move on dude, it's just an opinion.
@rjejr A bit touchy aren't we?
@Icey664
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