What TV Shows and Movies Are Affected by the Writers’ Strike?

More than 35 Hollywood productions have been affected since the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) went on strike last week. With writers’ rooms pausing, productions shutting down, and picketers disrupting filming, studios are feeling the heat from the strike.

Talk shows and variety shows shut down first due to the topical nature of their content, but a lot more scripted productions have announced production pauses or writers’ room closures in the last week since the strike began.

As a film and TV lover, you’re probably wondering what’s going on with your favorite show. We’ve got you covered, so bookmark this page and check back for more information as the strike continues.

Jump to:

• Movies
• Scripted television and streaming
• Live shows and variety shows

Movies

Movies tend to finish the writing process and go into production at least a year before release. Right now, only a few movies are impacted because many productions concluded before the strike began.

We’ll keep this list updated with more affected film productions as the situation progresses.

Lionsgate

Marvel Studios

As of May 26, filming on the new Marvel movie Thunderbolts in Atlanta has officially paused. The movie joins Blade and the TV series Wonder Man as they await the end of the WGA strike. Thunderbolts is about a team of Marvel superheroes who aren’t the Avengers and includes Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), Sebastian Stan (Winter Soldier), David Harbour (Red Guardian), and Wyatt Russell (John Walker/Captain America/U.S. Agent).

Indie productions

The indie film The Island, filming in Spain and directed by Paweł Pawlikowski, has shut down. It’s just one example of independent films being denied insurance due to the ongoing writers’ strike and ahead of the possible SAG-AFTRA strike. Other independent productions are expected to follow suit.

Sony

It Ends with Us, an indie film starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni (who’s also directing) was shut down until the end of the strike. The shutdown comes after picketing by WGA members and a decision by the WGA that its co-financing status was enough to keep production going even though the film would be going to AMPTP member studio Sony Pictures. More indie films may face the same fate if they’ve entered into pickup deals with major studios already.

Scripted television and streaming

Scripted television shows are impacted by the WGA strike in two ways:

1. Striking writers pause work in the writers’ room or on set
2. Picketing writers force a shut down of production due to union members not crossing the picket line.

Even if a show’s script was finished before the strike, filming productions still need to have writers on set to help maintain continuity and make changes based on unforeseen circumstances and budget constraints. So if a show continues despite the strike, you’ll likely see its quality go down, even if it still airs on time.

But many of the shows that are shutting down writers’ rooms will see a long delay in production, which means your favorite shows may not return to air in time for fall premieres. Other shows have only shut down for a day during picketing. The state of scripted television is fluid and could change as the strike continues, but we’ll keep you up-to-date with the details.

Airing on ABC

Abbott Elementary

The writers’ room for ABC’s top comedy, Abbott Elementary, has closed. The show was due to start writing on May 2, the day the WGA strike began.

Airing on Apple TV+

Apple TV+ shows are primarily impacted by Writers Guild members picketing in Los Angeles and New York City.

Before

The limited series (also known as Winston) starring Billy Crystal had been filming in New Jersey and was shut down by WGA picketers already. Now, the studio is pausing production until the strike is over. The production is one of many impacted by WGA East picketers.

Loot

Loot shut down after WGA pickets disrupted filming in Los Angeles.

Metropolis

The years-long adaptation of the 1927 Fritz Lang classic sci-fi film Metropolis is coming to a close. The show had been prepping in Australia for a summer start but producers Universal Content Productions have canceled the show due to increased “costs and uncertainty related to the ongoing strike,” a studio rep told Deadline. Scripts by writer-director-producer Sam Esmail (Mr. Robot) were not completed before the WGA strike, leading to delays in budgeting and pre-production.

Severance

Severance on Apple TV+ has officially paused production due to pickets with members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) and Teamsters union refusing to cross picket lines in New York City.

Sinking Spring

In Philadelphia, Sinking Spring was shut down by picketers. The show is about lifelong friends who pose as DEA agents to rob a country house. It is set to film through July in Philadelphia.

Airing on CBS

FBI: Most Wanted

A spin-off of the FBI franchise from Dick Wolf was halted by picketers in New York. The show is finishing filming for the currently-airing fourth season.

Jeopardy

Co-host Mayim Bialik is stepping away from hosting during the strike. However, production is said to continue with fellow co-host Ken Jennings stepping in. The show is produced by Sony and syndicated through CBS. The writers have been seen picketing in LA.

Airing on Disney+

Agatha: Coven of Chaos

Production on the WandaVision spinoff Agatha: House of Harkness is underway and has not yet been impacted by the strike.

Andor

Andor’s scripts were completed prior to the strike and its production is continuing, however showrunner Tony Gilroy has ceased his production duties—both writing and non-writing. A bigger shutdown might still be underway.

Bunk’d

Bunk’d on Disney Channel paused production during the strike. Eight episodes remain to be filmed in the season.

Daredevil: Born Again

Disney+’s new Marvel show Daredevil: Born Again paused production for a day due to WGA picketing.

Wonder Man

The Wonder Man production in Los Angeles has shut down due to picketing.

Airing on Freeform

Good Trouble

Picketers halted production on Season 5 of Good Trouble, which was filming in Los Angeles. The show does plan to finish filming the current season.

While You Were Breeding

Kristin Newman, show runner for the upcoming Freeform show based on her memoir, made the decision to shut down post-production of the show during the WGA strike.

Airing on FOX

You Bet Your Life

The game show You Bet Your Life has halted production during the strike as host Jay Leno stands with the Writers Guild and has been spotted handing out donuts at picket lines. The show has been suspended until the strike is over.

Family Guy and American Dad

Seth MacFarlane and the showrunners for Family Guy and American Dad are stepping away for the duration of the WGA strike. Creator and voiceover actor for Family Guy and co-creator and VoiceOver actor for American Dad, MacFarlane’s departure is a big loss for two of FOX’s biggest animated shows. Showrunners Brian Boyle and Matt Weitzman (American Dad) and Rich Appel and Alec Sulkin (Family Guy) have also said they will no longer work on the shows while the WGA is on strike. Family Guy finished airing Season 21 on May 7 and American Dad has a production backlog that should keep episodes airing. However, the loss of showrunning and voiceover talent is a blow to FOX.

MacFarlane is a longtime supporter of the WGA and has been seen on picket lines.

Airing on FX

American Horror Story

Season 12 of American Horror Story on FX was disrupted by picketers. However, the show is still in production in New York City.

The Old Man

Filming on Season 2 of the Jeff Bridges drama has been suspended. Production has completed four episodes of the second season while five scripts for the season have been written. However, the last script reportedly needs rewrites, which are not possible during the WGA strike. There has also been picketing near the set, which caused previous production delays.

Airing on Max (formally HBO Max)

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight

The writers’ room for the Game of Thrones prequel A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight has shut down. George R. R. Martin addressed the shutdown for shows relating to Game of Thrones in a blog post on May 10.

Duster

The Max period drama from J.J. Abrams and LaToya Morgan has shut down production in New Mexico. Picket lines from WGA members were set up and IATSE and teamsters refused to cross. This is one of many production shutdowns resulting from writers guild picket lines. Abrams himself has been seen on the picket lines at Fox Studios in Los Angeles.

Hacks

Filming on the Emmy-award-winning comedy Hacks, about a comedy writer, has paused production for the duration of the strike.

House of the Dragon

All scripts have been turned in for HBO’s House of the Dragon, and production is scheduled to continue. Rewrites and reshoots will be done after the strike.

The Penguin

The new spinoff series starring Colin Farrell as the Penguin from the Batman universe has suspended production due to WGA picketers. The show was filming in New York when Teamsters and local guilds refused to cross the picket line.

Pretty Little Liars: Summer School

Another show filming in New York, Pretty Little Liars: Summer School shut down production due to WGA pickets. The show was originally known as Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin before its Season 2 renewal.

The Last of Us, Euphoria, and The White Lotus

In an interview with Deadline, Francesca Orsi, HBO’s Head of Drama Series, revealed writing for the new seasons of The Last of Us, Euphoria, and The White Lotus has stopped. Orsi noted that if the strike lasts six to nine months, more HBO projects will be significantly delayed.

Airing on Netflix

Big Mouth

Writers were working on the eighth (and final!) season of Big Mouth when the strike hit and the room shut down.

Cobra Kai

Cobra Kai has closed the writers’ room for Season 6. “Pencils down in the Cobra Kai writers room. No writers on set. These aren’t fun times, but it’s unfortunately necessary,” series co-creator Jon Hurwitz wrote on Twitter.

Emily in Paris

The fourth season of the Netflix hit has been delayed due to the writers’ strike. The streamer’s plan is to start filming by the end of the fall.

Stranger Things

Stranger Things has shut down. The Duffer Brothers shared the news by writing on Twitter, “Writing does not stop when filming begins. While we’re excited to start production with our amazing cast and crew, it is not possible during this strike.”

Unstable

Production on Netflix’s Unstable has also shut down. Show star Rob Lowe has been seen on the WGA picket lines.

The Upshaws

The series has filmed 10 out of 12 episodes for an upcoming season and has since paused production. The show is executive produced by Wanda Sykes, who said production is suspended during the strike. The completed episodes will still premiere on August 17.

Zero Day

This is a big one: Starring Oscar-winner Robert De Niro in his first scripted TV role and directed by Emmy-winner, and Directors Guild of America president, Lesli Linka Glatter, Zero Day shut down production in New York City. It’s unclear when the show will resume production since SAG-AFTRA has authorized a strike and the writers’ guild is still on strike. (The DGA has a tentative deal but could go back to the bargaining table if members do not approve.)

Airing on Nickelodeon

The Really Loud House

The second season of the Nickelodeon show has shut down due to picketing. It is unclear if production will resume while the guild remains on strike.

Airing on Paramount+

Evil

Paramount+ series Evil wrapped production early, in part due to the efforts of picketers. It will have a shortened season.

Yellowstone: 1923

Weeks after the Paramount Global CEO said the studio has content “produced and ready to go,” we’re hearing reports from Montana that Yellowstone prequel 1923 on Paramount+ has postponed filming due to the WGA strike and is “delayed indefinitely.” Production was supposed to start on June 5 but has not yet begun.

Airing on SHOWTIME

The Chi

In Chicago, picketing writers shut down production of The Chi for the foreseeable future. The upcoming sixth season of the SHOWTIME series paused production on May 15 after two days of picketing and disrupted shooting in Chicago. Six episodes from the season have already been completed; there are four left to film. It is unknown when the series will resume production.

Billions

Cast and crew members on Showtime’s Billions refused to cross the picket line and shut down production for a couple of hours during the first week of the strike.

Uncoupled

Season 2 of the show starring Neil Patrick Harris is paused due to the writers’ strike.

Yellowjackets

After one day of writing, the writers’ room for Season 3 of the Showtime drama Yellowjackets has paused.

Airing on STARZ

P-Valley

P-Valley has postponed production in Atlanta. The show has not begun filming but the writers room has closed for the strike. Creator and showrunner Katori Hall said, “We will not be filming until a fair deal is reached.”

Power Book II: Ghost

In New York City, the spinoff of Power Book was filming when WGA picketers temporarily shut down production of the show. Power Book II: Ghost is in filming its fourth season while its creator, Courtney Kemp, is out picketing with the guild in Los Angeles.

Power Book III: Raising Kanan

The writers’ room for Power Book III: Raising Kanan on STARZ has shut down for Season 3.

Unt. Ava DuVerany Drama

An upcoming series from writer-director Ava DuVernay has halted production for the rest of the WGA strike. The series has been filming in Wilmington but the half-hour show, starring Joshua Jackson and Lauren Ridloff, has since paused work.

The Venery of Samantha Bird

Starz’s The Venery of Samantha Bird paused production with two episodes to go due to the strike.

Live shows and variety shows

The writers’ strike impacts live shows and variety shows more than any scripted content because of the quick turnaround and topical nature of the programs. Without writers, many of the shows have had to shut down or pivot to accommodate the strike.

Jump to:

• Awards shows
• Daytime shows
• Late-night shows
• Saturday Night Live

Awards shows

Since most awards shows hire writers to script out portions of live events, this awards season might look a little different. Check out our 2023 awards show schedule for a full list of upcoming awards shows.

MTV Movie & TV Awards: Canceled

The MTV Movie Awards were scheduled to air live on Paramount+ on May 7. However, after host Drew Barrymore and several presenters backed out in solidarity with the writers’ strike, the live ceremony was canceled. Instead, MTV aired a pre-recorded clip show, which is still available to watch on Paramount+.

ACM Awards: Unaffected

The 2023 American Country Music (ACM) Awards aired on May 11 on Amazon Prime Video. According to Billboard, its writers completed its scripts before the strike began, and the show continued like normal.

Television Academy Honors: Canceled

The Television Academy Honors, originally scheduled for May 31, have now been canceled. The ceremony would not have been televised, but still decided to cancel in solidarity with the WGA.

Tony Awards: Continuing without writers

The 2023 Tony Awards will still air on June 11 on CBS and Paramount+, despite the WGA’s decision to not grant the show an exception from the strike. Lin-Manuel Miranda was supposed to write the opening number, but stopped writing at the start of the strike, so the CBS is continuing with an unscripted live show rather than negotiating with the writers. If the lack of opening number bums you out, you can always skip the broadcast and watch the (best) 2013 opening number instead.

Daytime Emmys: Postponed

The 2023 Daytime Emmys that were set to air on June 16 on CBS and Paramount+ have been postponed to an unknown date. The Creative Arts & Lifestyle ceremony scheduled for June 17 has also been postponed. We will update this page with the new date when we know more.

Primetime Emmys: Postponed

While the 2023 Primetime Emmys were originally scheduled for September 18, that ceremony has now been postponed. We expect that it will be moved to later in 2023 or early 2024; whenever the studios agree to a fair deal. We will update this page with the new date when we know more.

Daytime shows

Daytime talk shows don’t tend to be as scripted as other shows, or they film episodes in advance.

Talk shows still in production:

• The View* (ABC)
• Live with Kelly and Mark (ABC)
• Tamron Hall (ABC)
• Sherri (Fox)

*Sources recently told the Hollywood Reporter that The View has a few WGA writers whose work will not be done for the duration of the strike.

Other shows have stopped production entirely, although it’s not always clear whether this is due to the strike.

Talk shows no longer in production:

• The Talk (CBS)
• The Drew Barrymore Show (ABC)
• The Jennifer Hudson Show (Fox)

The Drew Barrymore Show announced its return with Barrymore stating she was okay to return because she was a SAG-AFTRA member and they would not discuss struck projects. However, the WGA began picketing the show because it is a struck production along with any other talk shows that employ WGA writers (like The View). After Barrymore announced her return, The Jennifer Hudson Show, The Talk, and Real Time with Bill Maher (on late night) also announced a return.

However, the WGA began picketing all of the shows and the hosts walked back their decision, with Barrymore again leading the charge. The talk show hosts have said they will delay their premieres until the studios and unions reach a deal.

These four talk shows are all WGA-covered shows and are considered on strike. Any person who does work on those shows in a writing capacity is considered a “scab” against the strike.

On hiatus:

• The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBC)

Soap Operas

Many daytime dramas are on an extended summer break with only The Young and the Restless still airing. Soap operas are still being written by writers who have resigned their WGA membership and other members of production who are not on strike. (Meanwhile, many writers of soap operas are on strike with the WGA.) And soap actors will not be affected if the Screen Actors Guild goes on strike. Soap actors are employed under the Network Code from SAG-AFTRA, which is different from the film and TV collective bargaining agreement negotiated with the AMPTP. The Network Code covers soap operas, morning news shows, talk shows, variety, reality, game shows, sports, and promotional announcements, according to Deadline. The agreement lasts through July 2024. So even though the WGA is on strike, and SAG-AFRTA may join them, soap operas will continue production through all of it.

Late-night shows

The majority of the late-night shows have ceased production in solidarity with the writer’s strike. A couple of stray shows are still in production, either because they do not employ union writers or because they do not employ writers at all.

Late-night shows still in production:

• Watch What Happens with Andy Cohen (Bravo)
• Gutfield! (Fox News)

Colbert and Meyers spoke about the pending writers strike on their shows before the strike started. Both are WGA members and announced their support for the strike.

Late-night shows no longer in production:

• Jimmy Kimmel Live! (ABC)
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (CBS)
• The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (NBC)
• Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)
• Real Time with Bill Maher (HBO)
• Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)
• The Daily Show (Comedy Central)

Bill Maher announced a return for his program Real Time with Bill Maher, citing a need to pay the crew and keep everyone employed. Like many other late-night hosts, Maher is a member of the WGA and would be considered a “scab” if he returned to late night. Maher did announce on X, formerly known as Twitter, that his show would return “sans writers or writing,” but since this was his own choice and not a network call, many writers were disappointed in Maher’s decision. (During the 2007-2008 WGA strike, networks forced late-night hosts back on the air. Conan O’Brien, host of Late Night With Conan O’Brien returned to NBC with a beard and tricks to prove that his show needed writers to work. Without any scripted material, O’Brien spun his wedding ring on his desk and tried to beat his record of 41 seconds.)

However, after the WGA and AMPTP announced a return to negotiations, Maher walked back his decision and will wait to return until the end of this round of negotiations.

WGA strike FAQ