Sam Esmail's Metropolis series for Apple TV+ is no longer going ahead due to the ongoing writers' strike and rising pre-production costs.
The adaptation of Fritz Lang's 1927 sci-fi classic was part of Esmail's overall deal with Universal Content Productions (UCP). However, UCP confirmed to Deadline that the project would not be moving forward because of "push costs" and "uncertainty" related to the strike.
According to the report, Metropolis had been up in the air for several weeks as the show's script drafts were incomplete when the WGA strike began on May 2. At that point, development ground to a halt, delaying some major pre-production processes, such as budgeting.
Production was due to kick off this summer, but UCP decided to cancel the series after weighing up the risks associated with the writers' strike and how it might impact the shooting schedule, resulting in higher costs for "building and holding expansive stages, labor, and VFX work."
The miniseries has been years in the making as the project first entered development in late 2016, though the show was not set to premiere for two to three years. News surrounding Metropolis fell silent until 2021 when Esmail was said to be working on the pilot script for the drama.
Last year, Apple TV+ handed a series order to Metropolis, with Esmail taking triple duty as the series' writer, director, and showrunner. The large-scale series was reportedly finding its cast, with Briana Middleton set as the series' lead and Lindy Booth tapped for a major role.
The writers' strike has impacted several shows and movies, with the WGA pushing for fairer contact with producers and studios and better accommodations in the TV landscape, including higher residuals, minimum writers' room sizes, and protections against AI technology.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.
source https://www.ign.com/articles/metropolis-apple-tv-show-cancelled-writers-strike-large-pre-production-costs