Blade Runner Show Possibly Delayed a Full Year as Companies Refuse to Pay Writers

You can now add the upcoming Blade Runner 2099 TV show to the list of shows impacted by the Writers Strike.

According to the BBC, the Prime Video series was set to start shooting at Belfast Harbour Studios in Northern Ireland. The ongoing strike by the Writers Guild of America also affects writers whose shows or films are filming outside of the US, such as 2099. And even though it hasn’t even been a full month since the strike started, the sci-fi series may not end up starting up production again until spring 2024.

Speaking to the outlet, Northern Ireland Screen (the country’s national screen agency) said it was “extremely disappointed” by production being halted. Its CEO Richard Williams added that the company “hope a fair deal is reached soon so crew can get back to work.” In the meantime, NI Screen plans to find something else to take up 2099's production schedule, while being mindful that “many freelance crew and supply chain companies were relying on this project for work in the months ahead.”

Blade Runner 2099 was officially picked up by Prime Video last September as a limited series with original Blade Runner director Ridley Scott on hand as an executive producer. We know that it’s set 50 years after 2017's Blade Runner 2049, but details on the show have otherwise been basically nonexistent. The biggest piece of recent news was back in March, with Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer reportedly in talks to star.

The news of 2099's production being halted comes not long after Marvel Studios decided to kill production for both Thunderbolts and Wonder Man for the foreseeable future. Countless other films and shows have stopped production in the month of May as a result of picketing writers, which has to be a blow felt by all the companies as solidarity for the writers grows and the WGA may not be the only ones picketing for better pay and profits from streaming services.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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