UPDATE
Are you thrilled that the end of the strikes will mean the second season is getting closer? What do you want to see in Season 2 yourself? Let us know below!
ORIGINAL STORY
Hollywood has been at a standstill for months. First, the Writers Guild of America went on strike thanks to the treatment by studios and streamers regarding pay, the use of AI, the size of writers’ rooms, and more. Then, the Screen Actors Guild went on strike for similar reasons, and thus, almost every project in Hollywood ground to a halt. After all, nothing could get made without writers in the rooms to make scripts and without actors to portray characters. That meant high-profile shows like The Last Of Us Season 2 couldn’t be created or worked on behind the scenes.
But now, things might be changing for the better. Yesterday, the WGA talked with the studios and streamers, and a “tentative” deal was agreed to, temporarily putting the strike on pause. That news got plenty of excitement from writers, creators, fans, actors, and everything else. That included Craig Mazin, the showrunner for the Naughty Dog adaptation. He went onto his Threads account and noted:
“Very proud of the WA and its membership, and excited to get back to work on The Last of Us Season 2. The strike has not yet been officially lifted, but the second it is, we will spring into action!”
He wisely reminded people that while this tentative deal is a good thing, it’s not over the finish line yet. It has to be fully vetted and then approved by the WGA. That could take a little while to fully get done. Plus, that would only help the writers, not the actors, get over the finish line. So even if Craig Mazin and his team were allowed to continue writing the adventures of Joel and Ellie, they wouldn’t be able to bring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsay to the set to do anything until the SAG approves their own deal.
However, this is still positive news because Mazin and his team could at least write out the scripts should the writers’ strike be fully lifted. During the strike, the showrunner noted that they were “raring to go” with Season 2 and already had some work done before the strike hit. There have also been statements and rumors that key characters for Season 2, like the infamous Abby, have already been cast.
Plus, Season 1 of the show was nominated for a bunch of Emmys, which will have to potentially be earned next year due to the strike. So once that happens, the hype for Season 2 will grow even further.
But for now, fans have to wait as the dust truly settles.
