Stranger Things: Recordings on Hold
The fifth and final season of Stranger Things was confirmed to begin filming this summer. However, due to the ongoing strike, this is no longer viable. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is demanding better wages and new contracts that reflect the changes in the film industry. This has caused a divide between showrunners and producers who are urging their staff to continue working and those who choose to strike.
The Duffer brothers, creators of Stranger Things, have expressed their support for their colleagues in the WGA. Their tweet is a categorical rejection of executives’ attempts to force writers to work on their projects during the strike. Disney, Warner, and other members of the Alliance of Film and Television Producers sent letters to showrunners with contracts, attempting to intimidate them into continuing their work. However, this caused the opposite effect for the Duffer brothers who join the strike in solidarity with their colleagues.
The delay in Stranger Things is not the only consequence of the strike. Programming in the night slot of open TV stopped being broadcast, and the season of Saturday Night Live ended prematurely. The MTV Movie & TV Awards also went hostless as Drew Barrymore refused to cross the picket line.
The strike has already reached the small screen, and it’s expected its impact will be felt in the immediate future. While it has caused economic disruption resulting in losses in the billions of dollars, it also has a direct impact on viewers. The WGA union is fighting for fair treatment and wages in a rapidly changing industry. It remains to be seen how long the strike will last and its ultimate effect on the industry.
