Apple TV’s Metropolis cancels filming in Melbourne over writers’ strike
Filming of a massive Apple TV streaming show in Melbourne has been ‘permanently halted’ due to Hollywood writers’ strike and rising costs
Apple TV’s big budget adaptation of Fritz Lang’s 1927 sci-fi classic Metropolis has halted pre-production at Melbourne’s Docklands Studios.
The streaming series was “permanently shut down” before it could really begin due to rising costs and the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike in Hollywood.
A Universal Content Productions representative said it was a “tough decision” to cancel the show, but it had to be done, reported deadline on Sunday.
Push costs and uncertainty related to the ongoing strike have led to this difficult decision.
The epic eight-part series was led by the creator of Mr. Robot, Sam Esmail, and was expected to inject $416 million into the local economy over several years.
Apple TV’s big budget adaptation of Fritz Lang’s 1927 sci-fi classic Metropolis has halted pre-production at Melbourne’s Docklands Studios. Pictured: show director Sam Esmail
The Universal Studio Group-produced project received $83.8 million in funding from the federal government’s Local Incentive program, as well as an additional $41.6 million from the Victorian Screen Incentive fund.
Considered one of the most influential films of all time, Metropolis was one of the first full-length science fiction films ever made.
Made in Germany, the highly stylized silent film tells the story of a futuristic urban dystopia with massive class segregation.
The streaming series was ‘permanently shut down’ before it could really start due to rising costs and the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike in Hollywood
Esmail’s remake would use a new state-of-the-art “virtual production studio,” which would feature one of the world’s largest LED volumes.
An LED volume is an enclosed space where actors can be filmed in virtual environments in real time, reducing the need for extensive post-production.
Caroline Pitcher, CEO of VicScreen, said: ‘Metropolis is shaping up to be one of the most technically ambitious film productions in the world, and the state-of-the-art infrastructure being built here, together with our outstanding crew and locations, really puts Melbourne on the map. as one of the world’s largest film production cities.’
A Universal Content Productions representative said it was a “tough decision” to cancel the show, but it had to be done, Deadline reported on Sunday.
Communications Minister Paul Fletcher also said of the project: “I am delighted to welcome these productions to Australia, creating over 2,100 jobs for local cast and crew, over 7,200 additional roles and employing an estimated 2,100 companies across the country . supporting our continued national prosperity and further strengthening our creative and cultural sectors.”
Details about the plot, cast, and release date were not made public before the television series’ cancellation.
Thousands of Hollywood movie and TV writers hit the picket lines this week after the Writers Guild of America went on strike for the first time in 16 years.
An estimated 11,500 members took down tools after talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers about pay fell through.
Details regarding the plot, cast and release date were not made public before the television series was canceled before it could begin