Production on the upcoming Apple TV+ limited series “Before,” starring Billy Crystal, is being shut down until the Writers Guild strike ends, an individual with knowledge of the matter confirmed to TheWrap Thursday.
The series, which comes from Paramount Television Studios, stars Crystal as a child psychologist and recent widower who encounters a troubled young boy. The series is written by Sarah Thorp (“The Bounty Hunter”) and Adam Bernstein (“Fargo”) is directing the pilot. Crystal, Thorp, Bernstein, Jet Wilkinson (“The Old Man”) and Eric Roth (“Dune”) serve as executive producers for the series.
The series had been filming in Hoboken, New Jersey, and was temporarily shut down by WGA picketing earlier this month before being placed on an indefinite pause. Other series that have been halted on the East Coast include Disney+’s “Daredevil: Born Again” and Max’s “The Penguin.” In Montana, the “Yellowstone” prequel “1923” was also put on hold until the strike ends. In Australia, Sam Esmail’s planned Apple TV+ series “Metropolis” was shut down permanently, in part due to the strike in addition to hefty pre-production costs, according to Deadline.
Meanwhile, scripted television filming has essentially been completely shut down in Los Angeles as a result of the strike.
The WGA strike is approaching its third month, with no immediate resolution in sight. It is still unclear whether the Screen Actors Guild will join the writers in protest, but the SAG-AFTRA union did vote in favor of authorizing a potential strike earlier this month.
For all of TheWrap’s WGA strike coverage, click here.
