Amid ongoing writers strike for fair pay, Marvel's upcoming production, Thunderbolts, becomes the latest MCU project to be impacted. Directed by Jake Schreier and featuring an ensemble of various MCU anti-heroes, the movie was expected to begin filming in just a matter of weeks. However, due to the strike, Marvel has decided to halt production and will resume filming once the strike is over. Thunderbolts now joins Blade, Wonder Man, and Daredevil: Born Again as titles that have been affected by the writers strike, which has been ongoing since May 2, with no end in sight. The movie is set to release in July 2024 as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase Five.
As Thunderbolts gears up for filming in just a few weeks, the script is likely complete, but that doesn't necessarily mean the cameras will roll without any changes. It's common for on-set rewrites to occur during large-scale Marvel productions, and with writers within the WGA stepping back from all writing-related duties, including rewrites, filming could come to a halt even with a finished script in hand.
Amid the ongoing writers strike, several productions outside of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have been impacted, with Andor season 2, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3, and The Last of Us season 2 among those affected. However, the film side of Hollywood has also felt the effects, with Thunderbolts and Blade facing potential release date shifts. With the writers strike showing no signs of ending soon, there is uncertainty around when filming will resume for Thunderbolts, which is just over a year away from its scheduled release.
If Thunderbolts and Blade do end up being delayed, it is likely that subsequent Marvel movies will also be affected. The interconnected nature of the MCU's release calendar means that changes to one release date can have a ripple effect on others. While fans may be disappointed by the possible delay, the greater concern is the call for fair wages and the banning of AI-generated content, which are the primary demands of the striking writers. Once these issues are resolved, the MCU can get back on track and continue to delight audiences with its cinematic universe.
Source: Deadline
