Massive TV production planned for Australia cancelled due to writers’ strike

The big-budget TV series, Metropolis, which had been expected to shoot up to three seasons in Australia, has been cancelled.

A reimagining of Fritz Lang’s seminal 1927 silent science-fiction classic of the same name from Mr Robot creator Sam Esmail,  Metropolis was announced last April as the second booking for the new sound stage 6 at Docklands Studios Melbourne, following the Robbie Williams biopic, Better Man.

With an estimated budget of $188 million for its first eight-episode season, the Apple TV+ series had been expected to start production early this year. However, the complexity of the shoot – which was to make extensive use of the world’s largest LED virtual production array – contributed to delays.

Uncertain economic conditions have played their part, too, but one of the biggest factors in the cancellation appears to have been the fact that final shooting scripts were not ready by the time the Writers Guild of America strike began on May 2.

Typically, even final shooting scripts will undergo revision during the course of production. But under the conditions of the strike, no such revisions would be permitted.

The Los Angeles-based production arm of NBC Universal issued a brief statement overnight.

Matchbox Pictures’ Matt Vitins, Vicscreen’s Caroline Pitcher and Nant’s Gary Marshall at the unveiling of the virtual array at Docklands Studios.Credit: Luis Ascui

“Universal Content Productions (UCP) has confirmed that Metropolis will not be moving forward. Push costs [costs arising from delays] and uncertainty relating to the strike led to us making this difficult decision.”

Vicscreen, the Victorian government’s screen agency, has also issued a statement in response to the news.

“While the withdrawal of any production is disappointing, Victoria’s partnership with NBCU remains in place with a significant estimated expenditure to be delivered over the coming years,” a spokesperson said.

“Victoria has a healthy pipeline of film and television projects slated for production. To date, there are 12 productions set to film in Victoria for the remainder of 2023. These projects are expected to provide invaluable work opportunities for Victorian screen practitioners and businesses.”

Mr Robot creator Sam Esmail.Credit: USA Network

Production of Metropolis was being handled locally by Matchbox Pictures, a wholly owned subsidiary of NBCU. The LED array is owned and managed by Nant Studios.

Metropolis was set to be the first project in a multi-series “pipeline” production agreement between NBCU and Victoria, under which the studio was expected to make at least three shows in the state over five years.

The federal government committed to a contribution of $83.8 million as part of a deal to attract the Universal production pipeline. The Victorian state government also committed $41.6 million over five years for the projects including Metropolis.

Danny Pearson, then Victorian minister for creative industries, said in April 2022 that Metropolis would be “among the largest productions to ever film in Victoria”, adding that the new virtual production infrastructure would “cement the state’s reputation as a global screen destination”.

Paul Fletcher, then federal minister for the arts, claimed the production pipeline would create “more than 2100 jobs for local cast and crew” and support “more than 7200 roles for extras”.

As part of the deal, NBCU also agreed to build the virtual production facility at Dockland Studios at a reported cost of $60 million. The Victorian government contributed $12.5 million toward that project.

Unveiled in March, the 40-foot (12.19-metre) high, 6000-screen facility is claimed by Los Angeles-based Nant to be the biggest in the world, and double the size of its nearest rival. Nant has also installed a second, smaller virtual production facility at the studio complex to handle smaller jobs, including TV commercials.

Now, the race is on to fill the void left by Metropolis, which had been expected to occupy the studio and utilise the cutting-edge facilities until at least next March, and to employ all the crew members who suddenly find themselves staring into a very different future than the one they had envisaged.

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