It was reported late last night that Sam Esmail’s years-in-the making adaptation of Fritz Lang’s classic 1927 sci-fi film Metropolis has become one of the highest-profile casualties of the growing uncertainty in Hollywood driven by labor unrest against the background of economic headwinds.

The big-budget UCP series for Apple TV+, which had been prepping in Australia, has permanently shut down. The crew was just notified that the ambitious project will not move forward with production, which had been targeting a summer start.

UCP confirmed to Deadline that Metropolis has been scrapped. “Push costs and uncertainty related to the ongoing strike led to this difficult decision,” a rep for the studio said.

Metropolis had been in limbo for the past seven weeks. Since production drafts of the scripts for the large-scope, special effects-heavy series had not been finished before the May 2 start of the writers strike, that delayed setting budgets and other key elements of pre-production.

Because of the timing, UCP was faced with rising costs related to pushing the start of production, building and holding expansive stages, labor an VFX work — while not knowing when filming could begin due to the writers strike (and the prospect of a potential SAG-AFTRA strike). After evaluating the money spent so far and the risk of going forward, UCP opted to not proceed with the series and notified their partners at Apple TV+.

The filming was to take place in the state of Victoria where it was projected to create nearly 4,000 jobs, making use of one of the world’s largest ‘virtual production’ infrastructures, according to the April 2022 announcement. For more on this, read the full report by Deadline.

Apple TV+ Hosted Season 2 Premier of 'Swagger' at Tribeca Festival

Last night, AppleTV+ celebrated the season two premiere of the critically acclaimed basketball drama “Swagger” at the Tribeca Festival. Creator, director and executive producer Reggie Rock Bythewood attended the red carpet premiere alongside stars Isaiah Hill, Orlando Jones, Shinnelle Azoroh, Academy Award nominee Quvenzhané Wallis and Tristan Mack Wilds.

Special guests included hip hop artists IDK who is featured on the soundtrack, producer and director Gina Prince-Bythewood and philanthropist Wanda Durant. The panel was moderated by ESPN’s Monica McNutt. Swagger premieres globally on this Friday, June 23.

(Click on image to Greatly Enlarge)

Cast in Group Photo: Isaiah Hill, Wanda Durant, creator, executive producer, writer and director Reggie Rock Bythewood, Quvenzhané Wallis, Orlando Jones, Shinelle Azoroh and Tristan Mack Wilds attend the Tribeca Festival premiere of the Apple TV+ acclaimed sports drama “Swagger” season two at AMC.

Inspired by NBA superstar Kevin Durant’s experiences, “Swagger'' explores the world of youth basketball, and the players, their families and coaches who walk the fine line between dreams and ambition, and opportunism and corruption. Off the court, the show reveals what it’s like to grow up in America. Viewers can catch up on season one of "Swagger," now streaming globally on Apple TV+.

Archive: Apple TV News