‘I think the companies deserved it’: Craig Mazin on the writers’ strike

As a writer, Craig Mazin isn’t one to mince words. As the creator of 2019’s groundbreaking miniseries Chernobyl and co-creator of The Last of Us (alongside original game director Neil Druckmann), Mazin has had quite the career — and when looking toward the future, nothing seems off limits. Except during a strike of course.

During a recent interview with Variety, Mazin discussed how he was able to take such an iconic video game and adapt it for television — along with his broader thoughts on the Writer’s Guild of America and their ongoing struggle.

It’s no secret that the 2023 Writers Strike has brought the entertainment industry to a screeching halt, and even a guy like Craig Mazin isn’t immune to that sort of shake up. Horrible, infection themed pun intended.

Now it’s true that Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann were the sole writers behind The Last of Us, yet that didn’t stop Mazin from voicing his frustrations after being asked about his position on minimal room sizes.

“I think the Writers Guild is on strike largely because the mini-room has been a disaster for our business. Requiring writers to come in and invent an entire season of television on paper, have an outline formed, and then find out whether or not they’re going to be a a television show? And if they do get green-lit, then a bunch of those people get kicked off.”

For those who don’t know, mini-rooms are kind of the worst. Actually, this is personal. They make my blood boil. Where a studio used to take a series at face value, deciding to make it once it had been approved, what a lot of companies are doing these days is despicable. Here’s how it works.

They’ll hire a group of writers, have them create a show, see if its any good, and then finally decide whether or not they’re going to bring it to life. What’s worse, if they decide to axe it, then all that hard work can’t even be used to help secure a wayward writer more work. Pretty horrible right?

Expanding on his earlier position, Mazin clarified his beliefs and made sure to let us all know that the companies in charge are the ones to blame.

“I think it is a fair and righteous strike. I think the companies deserved it, and I think it is only the companies that are going to get us out of it because what we’re asking for is correct.”

Okay so it can’t ALL be the fault of this large, faceless entertainment companies. A lot had to happen for things to get bad. Decisions had to be made. People had to get lazy. It takes two to tango, as they say, and that’s why this strike has been a long time coming. And here we are. People like Craig Mazin are pushing hard for big changes, and hopefully voices like his will lift Hollywood’s most valuable asset out of their current slump.