Netflix Shows and Movies Affected By WGA and SAG-AFTRA Strikes

Hollywood has effectively been shut down in 2023. Beginning with the WGA strike in May 2023 and since being joined by the SAG-AFTRA union starting in July 2023, Netflix, among other distributors, has failed to reach new agreements with the two unions. As a result, its upcoming slate of movies and series has been severely impacted and delayed.

As you may have heard, for the first time in over 60 years, the actors and writers in Hollywood are on strike. The two guilds are negotiating with a collection of studios and distributors who all fall under the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP for short) and have disagreements on pay, residuals, and a host of other issues.

As a result of this dispute, many shows and movies have been impacted since May 2023, including much of the United States’ upcoming slate of movies and series.

Please note this is not an exhaustive list, but all the titles we publicly know have been impacted by the strike. In reality, any title that was in early development, pre-production, or production is now on pause for the foreseeable future. 

This list was first published on July 17th and has been updated over time to reflect additional titles. It was last updated on August 9th, 2023.

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List of Stike Affected Netflix Shows and Movies

Big Mouth (Final Season)

It was reported by Variety that the writers of the eighth and final season of Big Mouth were six weeks into writing before strike action drove everything to a grinding halt. Without the delay, the writing would have been finished by August 2023.

If strike action lasts until August, then the writing will be behind by at least three months, which means writing picks back up where it left off by early September, then the writing may not end until November/December 2023.

This will push the release date of the eighth season significantly and potentially into early 2025.

"Holy shit David Zaslav, you made 250 million fucking dollars last year, be real, give us a normal amount of money," said "Big Mouth" writer L.E. Correia.

Hell Gate talked to the TV Writers picketing outside Disney's upfront pitch to advertisers:https://t.co/NzfpBR8Bur

— Hell Gate *subscribe today!* (@HellGateNY) May 18, 2023

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Cobra Kai (Season 6)

Production had begun on the sixth season of Cobra Kai, however, everything came to a grinding halt once it was confirmed that it was “pencils down” in the writing room.

Jon Hurwitz, one of the co-creators, executive producers, and writers of the series, tweeted his and the crew’s support for the WGA Strike. Once a deal is in place, production will resume on the series.

We hate to strike, but if we must, we strike hard. Pencils down in the Cobra Kai writers room. No writers on set. These aren't fun times, but it's unfortunately necessary. The moment a fair deal is in place, we'll get back to kicking ass. In the meantime, sending strength and… https://t.co/99UulF7HeW

— Jon Hurwitz (@jonhurwitz) May 2, 2023

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Emily in Paris (Season 4)

Despite Variety reporting in 2022 that seasons 3 and 4 would be filmed back-to-back, that hasn’t been the case, and instead, it was clarified that filming was due to start in late summer or early Fall 2023 but has now been pushed back.

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The Night Agent (Season 2)

One of the biggest new show launches of 2023 for Netflix has been The Night Agent, which was quickly picked up by Netflix for a second season. The original plan, before the WGA strike kicked off, was to begin filming in August 2023. That’s now been pushed back significantly given that no scripts have been turned in and even if they were, filming could not now start without talent.

Picket Line Roulette takes me back to Netflix. If the studios had made a fair offer on 5/1 we would be shooting Season 2 of The Night Agent next month. The AMPTP has refused to negotiate with us for over ten weeks and every day that passes delays your favorite shows even more. pic.twitter.com/lqNdS5ruHE

— Shawn Ryan (@ShawnRyanTV) July 10, 2023

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The Sandman (Season 2)

One of the biggest supporters of the ongoing WGA writer’s strike has been Neil Gaiman, the creator of the Sandman comic and one of the executive producers of the Netflix adaptation.

In April, Gaiman provided an update to fans on what stage production was at for the second season, revealing that sets had been constructed, and a shooting schedule was in place.

When asked if the strike action will delay the series, Gaiman gave an open and honest answer, revealing that it entirely depends on the length of the strike, and if rewrites of the script are required he will not authorize Netflix to use non-Union writers to step in and take over;

Whether or not any of Sandman is delayed depends on how long the strike goes. There won’t be scab scripts on Sandman

Truly incredible.

So proud to provide Neil Gaiman with the first red t-shirt he’s worn since 1987. #wgastrong pic.twitter.com/OFynyO3MsI

— WGA Strike Shirts (@wgastrikeshirts) May 16, 2023

Filming on the series did actually get underway in June 2023 (seemingly against Gaiman’s wishes) but eventually came to a halt in July the day after a strike with SAG-AFTRA was called.

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Stranger Things (Season 5)

Filming for the fifth and final season of Stranger Things was due to get underway this summer, but unlike some shows that did go ahead without the writers’ involvement, that wasn’t the case here.

On May 6th, the Duffer Brothers wrote on Twitter that filming would only begin when a resolution with the WGA arose. Now SAG-AFTRA makes any filming start for the foreseeable inconceivable.

Duffers here. 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. We hope a fair deal is reached soon so we can all get back to work. Until then — over and out. #wgastrong

— stranger writers (@strangerwriters) May 6, 2023

Netflix France made a blunder in late May, stating that filming did get underway, which the Stranger Things Writers quickly corrected them on.

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That 90s Show (Season 2)

Season 2 of That 90s Show was among the first titles to have its filming canceled despite being due to get underway by the end of May 2023. Filming would’ve been going on all throughout the summer and into September 2023, but because of the WGA strike, all filming dates were scrapped. This is due to the nature of how filming works on a sitcom like this which is filmed in front of a live audience and requires writers on set.

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Outer Banks (Season 4)

Renewed ahead of season 3 premiering earlier this year, it seems to be the case that scripts were put in ahead of the WGA strike, which allowed it to get into production in early summer. However, with SAG-AFTRA beginning its strike, production was immediately halted.

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The Recruit (Season 2)

Filming for the recruit was scheduled to begin in August. However, the ongoing strike action means it’s unclear when production will resume.

The Recruit hits the picket line at Universal pic.twitter.com/h2funXZ0LL

— Alexi Hawley (@AlexiHawley) June 3, 2023

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The Madness (Season 1)

There was just under a month left of filming on The Madness before the SAG-AFTRA strike would post-pone filming. With strike action still ongoing the Directors Guild of Canada has the series listed as postponed, and until the strike action comes to an end, there’s no clear indication of when The Madness will resume filming.

 

We Closed. Period.

— Colman Domingo (@colmandomingo) July 13, 2023

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Now to round out the list, here are all the other shows that the ongoing strikes have impacted:

• Average Height, Average Build – The new movie from Adam McKay was due to begin filming in early September 2023 but is unlikely to now get underway anytime soon.
• Bioshock – Development has stalled since mid-July 2023.
• Dr. Frankenstein – As we first reported, Guillermo del Toro is working on a new horror movie film on the classic character with Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth and Andrew Garfield attached. It was due to get underway with filming in Toronto and Scotland in August 2023, but those plans have now been iced.
• Forever – A new series from Mara Brock Akil that was due to get underway with filming in the summer. Production has now been delayed.
• Little Sky – A new comedy pilot hoping to get a series release was filmed in secret in June 2023 but was stopped midway through production.
• MONSTERS: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story – Ryan Murphy’s new crime anthology continues with the next season focusing on the Menendez brothers. Filming was originally due to get underway in September 2023.
• No Good Deed – Production on this new comedy series from Liz Feldman had been casting and gearing up to start in Fall 2023, but that looks to have been paused.
• Ransom Canyon – Production was due to begin in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in September 2023, but that filming date is now likely going to be pushed back.

• Shadow and Bone – The LA Times reported that the ongoing strikes would mean that the decision on a season 3 renewal of the show would be pushed down the road.
• The Abandons – New Wild West drama from Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter, starring Lena Headey.
• The Corps – Adaptation of Greg Cope White’s autobiography The Pink Marine.
• The Craving – Crime drama centered around a female sheriff from Colorado.
• The Diplomat (Season 2) – Filming began on season 2 in London but halted in mid-July 2023.
• The Madness – Filming has been underway on this new limited series starring Colman Domingo and Gabrielle Graham earlier in the year but has now been paused among ahead of its scheduled end date.

• The Recruit (Season 2) – Filming was due to begin on the second season of the Noah Centineo series in August in Vancouver but has now been pushed back.
• The Residence (Season 1) – New Shonda Rhimes produced series that began production early this year and was scheduled to run through September. Now delayed.
• The Upshaws (Season 4) – Production had been halted early on for the fourth season of The Upshaws. According to Wanda Sykes, 10 out of the 12 episodes for the season were filmed and set to release in August 2023.

• The Witcher (Season 4) – Production was due to begin in September 2023 but has been signaled to be delayed.
• Unstable – A writer’s room had been assembled for season 2 of this Rob Lowe comedy, but according to Deadline was shut down.
• Untitled Safdie Brothers Project – Filming was due to begin in August (after numerous delays already) but with the SAG-AFTRA strike, the project is on hold.
• Virgin River (Season 6) – It had been suggested that the new season of Virgin River would get into production in the summer of 2023, but that’s no longer the case.
• Zero Day – Production did begin on Zero Day but was shut down in early June 2023, and it’s unclear when it’ll pick back up again.

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Is there any other major Netflix title we’ve not listed below? Email me at [email protected] or on Twitter @kasey__moore.

Jacob Robinson contributed to this report.