Along with several other major films shooting at the moment Gladiator 2 is perhaps one of the most anticipated. However both WGA (Writers Guild of America) and SAG-AFTRA (the actors guild) are to combine forces and strike meaning that Gladiator 2 to stop filming along with a whole load of other productions.
Recent negotiations have broken down thus triggering a strike vote by the SAG-AFTRA National Board for Thursday morning where a strike is expected to be called, and the union will direct its 160,000 members to immediately stop all scripted film and TV work around the world. the writers strike has been going on for over three months now which has succeeded in shutting down many US based productions but combined with the actors strike it means that worldwide productions will shut down impacting heavily on UK, European and Australian studios.
Gladiator 2 to stop filming it looks like the same for FX’s “Alien,” a series adaptation of the “Alien” franchise written by Noah Hawley and Ridley Scott, is currently in pre-production in Thailand. Sources indicate the show will be a large-scale undertaking that’s reportedly booked out multiple Bangkok studios and hired vast quantities of lighting equipment. However, a mix of SAG-AFTRA and Equity members comprise the cast (two of the main leads are believed to be SAG-AFTRA members), meaning that production will need to work around the absence of key cast members. Season 3 of HBO’s “White Lotus” series was about about to start shooting in Thailand too. “Mortal Kombat 2,” which was filming in Australia will also be likely to stop shooting. Season 4 of “Emily in Paris” was scheduled to start filming in the French capital in late summer or early fall, but will now be postponed.
A U.S.-based financier-producer asks: “Some British actors have done one or two U.S. movies and gotten into SAG-AFTRA. Will they go in solidarity with the strike?” and a senior executive at a European production giant juggling productions that are now in limbo had the same questions: “Let’s say we’re shooting something with a big European director in Europe, and 90% of the cast is European and non-SAG-AFTRA, but you have two key roles played by U.S. talent. Will the movie stop and not get done or will those roles be substituted with European non-SAG-AFTRA actors? I suspect what will happen is it will depend on the talent. If the reception is, ‘This is going to be a quick strike,’ directors will say, ‘Let’s wait.’ But if it looks like a long one, it could mean those roles will be changed.”
related feature: What happened to Alien 5 ?
related feature: John Rhys Davies talks supernatural horror, ‘The Gates’ plus ‘Indiana Jones & the Dial of Destiny’
source : variety
