Writers’ strike in Hollywood
New “Game of Thrones” series affected
Author George RR Martin supports the strike in Hollywood.
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The writers’ strike is also having an impact on the new Game of Thrones series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight.
The current strike by screenwriters in the USA is having a wide impact, and some productions have already announced delays and breaks. Author George RR Martin (74) has now spoken: The upcoming “Game of Thrones” prequel “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight” will take a break. Martin has in a blog post announced.
George RR Martin supports writers strike
The “writers’ room” for “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight” – which is being produced for the new streaming service Max – has been “closed” by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) “for the duration of the strike”. “I’m not in LA so I can’t participate in a picket line like I did in 1988, but I want to put on record my full and unequivocal support for my guild,” the author clarified. He does not know how long the strike will last. “Maybe tomorrow the AMPTP members will come to their senses and offer some sensible concessions and the whole thing can be wrapped up next week. I wouldn’t bet on that, though.” The AMPTP is the “Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers”. It is a trade association representing more than 350 American television and film production companies in collective bargaining with entertainment industry unions.
Warner Bros. Discovery released last month the serial order announced by “The Hedge Knight”. Based on Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg, he will write the script alongside Ira Parker and also serve as one of the executive producers. The story takes place a century before the events of “Game of Thrones”. “Two unlikely heroes” wander through Westeros: Ser Duncan and his squire egg. According to the first official description, “great destinies, powerful enemies and dangerous heroic deeds” await the friends. Max launches in the US on May 23rd. In addition to content from HBO Max, the service also offers Discovery+.
“House of the Dragon” is not endangered
Filming on season two of the “Game of Thrones” offshoot “House of the Dragon” is to continue, as Martin explains in his blog. Filming began on April 11 and is set to continue in London and Wales. “The scripts for the eight episodes of season two were all completed months ago, well before the strike began.”
The second season of AMC’s Dark Winds, which Martin is executive producing, is in post-production with new episodes expected to air this summer. “A decision on Season 3 will not be made until after the strike,” Martin said.
However, the 74-year-old clarifies: “I’m afraid some of you are getting anxious right now because you mistakenly assume that this strike affects ‘Winds of Winter’. You can relax,” wrote Martin. For years, fans have been waiting for the final two books, The Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring, to close the A Song of Ice and Fire saga. “The WGA is a union of film and television writers. It has nothing to do with novels, short stories, or any other form of fiction.”
Writers strike
American screenwriters have been on strike since May 2nd. The representatives of the major studios and streaming services have not responded to the demands of the Writers Guild of America. The authors’ union fights for better pay and better framework conditions for the work of its members. Series like “Stranger Things”, “Cobra Kai” and “Yellowjackets” are also affected by the strike.