As “The Last of Us” shuts down production on its second season due to the WGA strike, its showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann stand in solidarity with their union colleagues. Mazin was spotted on the WGA picket line early in the strike. He has not been involved with the show as a writer or producer since the work stoppage began. Druckmann also ceased to work in both functions.
With the two having written extensively about “The Last of Us” Season 1, it’s no surprise that there are no scripts for Season 2. Until the WGA comes to an agreement with with the AMPTP union representing major studios and streamers, no new material can be written. Writers have been hit hard by the rise of streaming and now find themselves under threat from AI, demanding solutions to both problems, among others. And the WGA strike could be a harbinger of more to come as SAG-AFTRA and DGA, which represent actors and directors respectively, begin their own contract negotiations with the studios. If talks fail between the groups, it will mean a complete shutdown of the film and television industry.
Other writer-led shows, including Netflix’s “Stranger Things” and Disney+’s “Andor,” have ceased production in recent days. And at HBO, “The Last of Us” is not the only major production to be stopped. With vocal support from author George RR Martin, ‘Game of Thrones’ spin-offs ‘House of the Dragon’ and ‘The Hedge Knight’ have gone on hiatus.