HBO's The Last Of Us Season 2 Casting Halted Amid Writers Guild Strike
Due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike, preparations for casting the Season 2 of HBO series The Last of Us have been halted. Variety was first to report.
The casting team has reportedly been requesting actors to read portions taken directly from The Last of Us Part II, the video game on which the season will be based, since there are no scripts available for Season 2 at this time. Filming for the season is planned to begin in Vancouver in early 2024.
Craig Mazin, the co-creator and showrunner who wrote most of Season 1, is currently following the strike guidelines by joining his fellow WGA members on the picket line. Consequently, Mazin and series co-creator Neil Druckmann, are not currently involved in any aspect of the production for Season 2.
The first season of The Last of Us premiered in January to a positive reception and impressive viewership ratings. The season's final episode, which drew 8.2 million viewers, broke the show's previous viewership record. The show was renewed after only two episodes, with Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey set to return as Joel and Ellie, respectively.
The WGA strike, which began on May 2, is affecting several productions across the industry, with major shows such as Andor on Disney+ and Stranger Things on Netflix suspending their productions. However, House of the Dragon, the Game of Thrones prequel on HBO, and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power on Amazon's second seasons are still in production.
Movies, including Marvel's Blade, have also begun to be impacted by the strike.
Check out our overview of the writers' strike and how it will affect your favorite shows.
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