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Writers’ Strike Freezes ‘Handmaid’s Tale,’ ‘Game of Thrones’ Spinoff 

Demonstrators chant and hold signs during a Writers Guild of America demonstration outside of Universal Studios in Universal City, Calif., Friday, May 5, 2023. (AP)
Demonstrators chant and hold signs during a Writers Guild of America demonstration outside of Universal Studios in Universal City, Calif., Friday, May 5, 2023. (AP)
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Writers’ Strike Freezes ‘Handmaid’s Tale,’ ‘Game of Thrones’ Spinoff 

Demonstrators chant and hold signs during a Writers Guild of America demonstration outside of Universal Studios in Universal City, Calif., Friday, May 5, 2023. (AP)
Demonstrators chant and hold signs during a Writers Guild of America demonstration outside of Universal Studios in Universal City, Calif., Friday, May 5, 2023. (AP)

Writing for a new season of "The Handmaid's Tale" and a coming "Game of Thrones" prequel was halted as a nearly week-long strike by thousands of film and television writers rippled across Hollywood on Monday.

The writers of Emmy-winning Hulu drama "The Handmaid's Tale" had penned some early episodes for a new season ahead of filming that was supposed to start in late summer, said co-executive producer and writer Yahlin Chang.

Writing of the dystopian drama stopped when the Writers Guild of America (WGA) called a strike last week, Chang told Reuters on Monday.

A representative for Hulu declined to comment.

Also on Monday, "Game of Thrones" author George R.R. Martin said in a blog post that the writers' room for prequel series "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight" was "closed for the duration of the strike."

The WGA began a work stoppage on May 2 after failing to reach a new labor agreement with higher pay from Hollywood studios such as Netflix Inc and Walt Disney Co. The studios have said they made a "generous" offer to boost compensation.

Late-night talk shows immediately went dark, and some TV series and movies have followed. The final season of Netflix hit "Stranger Things" was paused. Marvel movie "Blade," starring Mahershala Ali, shut down just before filming was set to start.

"The Hedge Knight" was touted by Warner Bros executives last month as one of the marquee shows in development for Max, the new name for what had been HBO Max.

The series is set 100 years before the events of "Game of Thrones," a time when the Targaryen line holds the Iron Throne, and focuses on a young knight and his squire.

Warner Bros has not announced a release date for "The Hedge Knight."

The second season of "House of the Dragon," another "Game of Thrones" prequel, began filming in April, Martin said, and will continue in London and Wales. All eight episodes already were written and revised, he said.

Martin also expressed his "unequivocal support" for the WGA.

"I hope the writers are given a fair deal as soon as possible," US President Joe Biden said at a screening of the film "American Born Chinese" at the White House as part of a celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

It is unclear how long the strike will last. No new talks have been scheduled between the Guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the group negotiating on behalf of studios.

"Maybe the AMPTP members will come to their senses tomorrow and offer some meaningful concessions, and the whole thing can be wrapped up next week," Martin said. "I would not bet the ranch on that, however ... I have never seen the Guild so united as it is now."

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‘The Brutalist’ Cast Beams over Breadth of Film’s Story

This image released by A24 shows Adrien Brody in a scene from "The Brutalist." (Lol Crawley/A24 via AP)
This image released by A24 shows Adrien Brody in a scene from "The Brutalist." (Lol Crawley/A24 via AP)
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‘The Brutalist’ Cast Beams over Breadth of Film’s Story

This image released by A24 shows Adrien Brody in a scene from "The Brutalist." (Lol Crawley/A24 via AP)
This image released by A24 shows Adrien Brody in a scene from "The Brutalist." (Lol Crawley/A24 via AP)

The cast of the film “The Brutalist” is giving their director Brady Corbet all the credit when it comes to the strong acclaim for the movie.

“He's a special filmmaker because he focuses on psychology and behavior and those things that we as actors are genuinely interested in,” said Guy Pearce, who plays wealthy industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren.

“So, it was a real treat from start to finish,” he added.

The movie is an epic tale of a Hungarian immigrant who flees the horrors of World War Two to rebuild his life in the United States, and stars Oscar-winner Adrien Brody in the leading role of the architect Laszlo Toth.

"The Brutalist", which has a three-hour and 35-minute runtime and comes with a 15-minute intermission, was co-written by Corbet's wife, Mona Fastvold.

It was successful at the Venice International Film Festival earlier this year, with Corbet winning the best director prize.

The film, distributed by A24, arrives in movie theaters on Dec. 20 in the United States.

Brody, who had read the script nearly six years ago, expressed his deep connection to the story and his character through both his Hungarian-born mother and grandfather.

“Her [his mother’s] journey as an artist, her pursuits as an artist are deeply profound and linked to this,” he said.

For Brody, the role connected him with his mother’s yearning to leave something of great meaning behind, which was enhanced when contrasted with an understanding of hardship.

He also thought of his own grandfather's struggles with language and assimilation as a foreigner without work opportunities or respect.

“That (respect) was lost and taken from him,” Brody added.

His grandfather, fleeing from home due to the war, largely shaped the actor’s perspective of his role.

For “The Theory of Everything” actress Felicity Jones, who portrays Toth’s wife in the film, Erzsebet Toth, some of the most compelling aspects of the film are its characters and unique storytelling style.

“These characters, particularly Laszlo and Erzsebet, you know, they're doing everything they can to preserve their integrity and their self-worth,” she said.

Brody was recently nominated for a Golden Globe for best performance for a male actor in a motion picture drama and is receiving Oscar buzz for his role.

For “The Pianist” actor, having a strong team was key to the power of the film.

“In order to do work on this level, you need all of those to conspire with you and not against you,” Brody said.