Striking writers channel their inner Batman by shutting down ‘The Penguin’ production

It’s week two of the WGA writers’ strike, and writers are continuing to shut down production to share their point across — that writers deserve fair compensation in the streaming era, and that there wouldn’t be any projects in production if it wasn’t for them. One of the production areas that strikers had their eyes on was the set of HBO Max’s upcoming series, The Penguin, and they were ready for it.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent showrunner Warren Leight shared on Twitter that protesters from the Writers’ Guild East made it to Westchester, the current filming location for the upcoming The Batman spin-off. The showrunner stated that protesters arrived before producers woke up, and the local guilds supported their line. He also reported that more protesters were on their way.

And just like Batman in Gotham City, these writers emerged victorious. Leight released an update three hours after the picket line was formed, and stated that reinforcements were no longer needed since the protesters have successfully shut down production for The Penguin. All the protesters then stood together for a group photo in celebration of their victory.

The Penguin is one of many shows on production that have been put on hold due to the effects of the ongoing writers’ strike. The Last of Us had to pause auditions since scripts for the highly anticipated second season were not made. Meanwhile, Marvel’s upcoming series, Daredevil: Born Again, may be delayed due to the ongoing strikes. Superhero shows and TV adaptations may be a money-churning powerhouse, but it is no match for the power of writers who are the main reasons these shows made it to the screen.

If you want to know more about the writers’ strikes, here is a brief summary of what you need to know and their list of demands as TV and streaming networks couldn’t agree on a deal with the Writers’ Guild, and essentially have threatened to use AI for future projects.