Since the Hollywood Writers Guild strike began on May 2, major productions have paused, affecting acclaimed series such as Stranger Things, Cobra Kai, and The Last of Us. The stoppage has rippled through the industry, with writers walking off the job after negotiations with the Film and Television Producers Association failed to reach a new collective agreement. The strike began the day after the previous contract expired, and immediate consequences started to show across studios and networks.
The shutdown extended to late night programs and live broadcasts. Shows including The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Late Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and Saturday Night Live stopped producing new episodes as the walkout intensified. The absence of fresh material left networks scrambling to fill schedules and rethink production timelines.
HBO The Wire creator David Simon joined the public conversation by voicing support for the writers, a move that underscored the fractious tension between writers and production companies. As the strike continued, the largest studios tied to AMPTP such as Netflix, Disney, FX, HBO, and Paramount paused the development of new seasons. The halt reflected a broader industry pause and signaled potential delays for upcoming installments.
In the realm of high profile series, the Duffer brothers, Dan and Matt, who crafted Stranger Things, announced they would not proceed with new episodes of the Netflix series until the dispute with AMPTP was resolved. Similarly, the creators of Cobra Kai indicated that the sixth season would be postponed while negotiations remained unsettled.
The Last of Us, a landmark program featuring Pedro Pascal, suspended production on its second season, a decision announced earlier in the year and persisted through the strike period. On the broadcast side, Abbott Elementary, the acclaimed comedy hit, paused production on its third season, with concerns about how the stoppage might affect episode counts. Writers have highlighted a range of potential impacts, from pacing to the overall episode slate, as they advocate for better compensation and rights in the evolving media landscape.
Tony Gilroy, the mind behind the Disney series Andor, expressed solidarity with the writers and confirmed that work on the second season slowed due to the standstill, despite the scripts being finished. The developing situation also touched the broader Star Wars output, illustrating how a single strike can ripple through franchise plans and affect multiple projects.
George R.R. Martin, the author known for his influence on the Game of Thrones universe, noted that productions related to A Knight of Seven Kingdoms were placed on pause as a result of the conflict. The trend extended to other widely watched programs, including Severance on Apple TV+ and American Horror Story Delicate on FX, signaling a general deceleration across genres and platforms. Other notable titles such as Yellowjackets on Showtime and Hacks on HBO faced slower progress as writers pursued fair terms and protections.
Beyond individual shows, industry observers point to key collective demands from writers. The core issues revolve around fair compensation for work released across various formats, improved royalties when projects circulate on streaming platforms, and the establishment of clear guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence in the creative process. The writers emphasize durable contracts and the need for equitable treatment as media production evolves with technology and distribution models.