Today we share news that The Rings of Power Season 2 is to finish filming without its showrunners present due to the WGA strike. As, I’m sure you are aware, there is current a Writer’s Guild strike happening in Hollywood. Many studios and ongoing productions have been effected by this strike, and Amazon are no different. Variety has learned that Rings of Power showrunners J.D Payne and Patrick Mackay will not be present for the final days of shooting on Season 2.
The sweeping fantasy series has 19 days of filming remaining, sources confirm to Variety, but per WGA strike rules, Payne, McKay and any other writer-producers are barred from participating in any writing-based duties during production while the strike continues — including making creative decisions on set. Instead, the show’s non-writing executive producers (like Lindsey Weber), directors (Charlotte Brändström, Sanaa Hamri and Louise Hooper) and crew are overseeing production on the U.K.-based shoot.
I guess a show with so much money riding on it can’t afford to shut down. At the same time though, it is surely very risky to film without being able to make any creative decisions on set? As you can see below, and as you’d guess, the crew planned for this as best as they could.
According to a source close to the production, there have been multiple units filming on “Rings of Power,” including night shoots, for much of the duration of the season given its feature-film level scope. Payne and McKay also planned in advance with the production team for a possible writers strike to make their absence from the show as seamless as possible.,
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Still, without breaking picket lines, this was a course they had to follow. If it was me, I’d be telling someone to phone me every 5 minutes from set to update me.
Season 2 will be extremely important for The Rings of Power. Despite great initial numbers, the completion rate of Amazon’s new The Lord of the Rings series wasn’t great. As a Tolkien fan, I was not impressed by several story decisions. For me the second season will have to be great to get me excited to see this conclude. If Season 2 is instead more of the same, then I doubt I’m sticking around for a Season 3. I already know the ending. At that point I’ve already disengaged so I’ll just ignore the series and go back to the books. However, I genuinely, as always, hope for the best. I mean, I’ve always wanted to see this story adapted. The problem is, that so far they simply have not adapted that story as it was presented. I guess at this point it’s a fool’s hope?
Such a shame really. I loved the visuals and score of The Rings of Power, even liked the actors and the characters. I just didn’t like the changes to the story added in or changed.
The Rings of Power Season 2 is to finish filming without its showrunners present due to the WGA strike. What do you think about The Rings of Power so far? Will you be checking out Season 2 through excitement or morbid curiosity? Thoughts below as always.
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