With the Writers Guild of America strike continuing to hit the entertainment industry hard, Marvel officially paused production on one of its upcoming projects.
Starting with Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Marvel's Phase 5 is stacked with movies and shows such as Blade, Echo, and everything in between.
However, the slated projects are plagued with seemingly ever-changing release dates and production timelines, delaying when the general public will finally get to experience the MCU's newest stories.
Now, one Phase 5 project in particular will be facing even more delays, due to the ongoing writers strike.
Marvel Shuts Down Production of Phase 5 Project
Due to the impact of the ongoing writers' strike, Marvel has shut down pre-production on the Phase 5 Blade reboot until the end of the labor stoppage, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
This marks the first official MCU project to come to a halt since the strike began on May 2, and the second time the Mahershala Ali-led Marvel movie has stopped mid-production, with behind-the-scenes trouble delaying the film back in October 2022.
The Hollywood Reporter's source said that production stopped because "time simply ran out," though it will resume following the end of the strike.
Since it started on Tuesday, the strike has halted production on many projects — most notably, the late-night shows that usually release each day.
Writers are fighting for further negotiation with studios, as they seek fair wages, guaranteed work schedules, and a more immediate response about how they will handle the development and utilization of artificial intelligence in writers' rooms.
Are Other Marvel Projects in Danger?
With a less-than-promising response from the studios on Thursday, a development about which Puck.com's Matthew Belloni responded "Bottom line: the strike isn’t ending anytime soon," more projects will likely be impacted in the coming days of picketing.
The Hollywood Reporter noted that given Marvel's tendency to adjust and re-write scripts mid-filming, the strike could impact future projects such as Captain America: New World Order, which is already in production.
According to The Hollywood Reporter's source from a Marvel rival, "(Marvel) will shoot what they can, then wait for the reshoots" when it comes to Captain America 4.
Regardless, over the coming days — or however long the strike continues through — fans should prepare for more announcements of productions stopping, be they in Marvel or any other studio.
Blade is currently set to release on September 6, 2024.
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
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