As the SAG-AFTRA strike starts to take shape along with the ongoing WGA strike, we’ll witness some gray areas in some productions that illustrate just how complex the issue can be. Today, Variety reported that filming of the FX Alien series is set to keep going despite the strike. This won’t violate SAG’s strike recommendations, but speaks volumes about the pressure that studios are certainly putting on producers, directors and writers.

According to Variety, Alien is currently in pre-production in Thailand, and the location indicates that non-union members involved in the project can keep working throughout the strike. Even though the cast of the upcoming series hasn’t been officially announced, Variety reports that as many as two lead actors are SAG-AFTRA members. This means that production will need to work around them for as long as the strike is in place.

There are also reportedly Equity – the entity that represents British actors – members in the main cast as well. British actors have expressed their willingness to go on strike to show support for their American colleagues, but since their syndicate hasn’t officially announced a strike, they’ll need to keep on working until they’re told to stop.

How Can The Alien Series Start Filming Without SAG Actors?

Since the Alien series is still in pre-production, it means that writer-director Noah Hawley (Fargo) and writer-producer Ridley Scott (Gladiator) will be able to move forward with anything that’s not SAG or WGA-related. It’s common for foreign productions to hire local talent when shooting in different countries, but with the strike it’s pretty safe to assume that more Thai faces will be seen if production keeps going.

Pre-production also means that pieces are still getting put in place before filming begins, so there’s a chance that the Alien production team takes the strike time to get stuff done. Again Variety reports that Bangkok studios and lighting equipment have been rented to take on the large-scale project, and all the preparation can go on normally while they wait for SAG members to be able to work again.

Details from the Alien series are still scarce. So far, all we know is that it’s set to take place on Earth, which is a departure from previous Alien projects. There’s also a new Alien movie directed by Fede Álvarez (Evil Dead) in post-production, but since it has already set a release date (August 16, 2024), it’s unlikely that it gets affected by the strike.

Stick with Collider to find out more details about the ongoing strike as they develop.

via Collider