A slate of big-budget summer movies from Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny to a live-action Barbie film will be released in the coming weeks as Hollywood gears up for blockbuster season. But behind the scenes, as the Hollywood writers strike enters its third month, the impact of the current conflict between screenwriters and major film studios and streamers is coming into focus. Most productions have ground to a halt as future films and TV series are being delayed, if not canceled.
One of the most high-profile productions canceled by the strike is a new TV adaptation of Fritz Lang's classic 1927 sci-fi film Metropolis. Apple TV+ reportedly scrapped acclaimed showrunner Sam Esmail's years-in-the-making series just as it was supposed to begin filming this summer in Australia. Max's new Batman spin-off series, The Penguin, starring Colin Farrell, has also been halted, even through a teaser for the show had been released.
