The Last of Us season two reportedly on hold due to writers' strike
Actors previously reading sides from Part 2 for auditions.
The second season of HBO's The Last of Us is currently on hold due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America's strike for fair pay.
The showrunners were making casting preparations for The Last of Us' second season up until earlier this week, when it was put on hold, Variety reports.
According to sources familiar with the matter, up until this point the casting team had been asking actors to read sides taken "directly" from The Last of Us Part 2, PlayStation's 2020 release that the second season will be based on, during auditions, as there are currently no scripts for the show itself.
HBO's second season is now expected to begin shooting early next year. Previously, actors Pedro Pascal (Joel) and Bella Ramsey (Ellie), along with series co-creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann had suggested filming would begin in the coming months.
As with season one, the second season is planned to be filmed in Canada, although this time reports specify Vancouver (the first season was shot primarily in Calgary, Alberta).
Mazin has previously made his feelings about the WGA strike known, and is a supporter of the movement.
Earlier this month (before the strikes themselves began), Mazin told the LA Times he remembers "very distinctly how everything went down in 2007" but that this was different, as here "even the companies understand on a fundamental level they have f*** up".
The writer and creator continued: "It's almost like someone finally pointed it out to them and said, 'You've just blown out the foundation of your own house and now the whole thing's crumbling down around you.'
"They know they have to fix it too... I think this is one of those times where even the companies know, 'Ok, we've gone too far'."