The WGA strike is not set to affect Season 2 of “House of the Dragon,” TheWrap has confirmed. Filming on the HBO hit is expected to continue in the UK.
A source close to production tells TheWrap that all of the scripts for the HBO drama series’ next installment have been finished for some time, and that the show remains in production. It’s believed the season will not be affected by the strike, which began Tuesday.
This may not be the case for other writers working internationally. During a strike, WGA members working abroad are required to stop work on any project within the union’s jurisdiction if there’s active writing work taking place. Because of this, U.S. projects filmed abroad could be affected. Whether or not production is halted and for how long will vary from project to project.
For the past several weeks, the WGA has been in negotiations with studios about the conditions of their profession in the age of streaming. The union’s demands boil down to more financial and job stability during a time when that has largely disappeared from Hollywood. As more networks transition from 22-episode long-running projects to 10-episode shows that only last a couple of seasons, the former industry ladder new writers used to climb has all but disappeared. That’s been replaced by “mini-rooms” — smaller rooms that are assembled sometimes before a series is even greenlit and assigned to churn out scripts — slashed compensation, questionable residuals and fears over the rise of AI.
Monday was the deadline for negotiations between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. After they failed to reach a compromise, the WGA went on its first strike in 15 years.
“House of the Dragon” won’t be the only production that has to make tough decisions regarding the strike, but it is one of the biggest. HBO’s “Game of Thrones” prequel premiered as one of the buzziest new series of 2022.
Variety first reported Tuesday’s news.
For all of TheWrap’s WGA strike coverage, click here.
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