The TV world has experienced yet another production delay due to the recent coronavirus crisis, this time with HBO halting that of both Barry and Succession. The network announced Friday it will postpone production start dates for both series and suspend all current pre-production practices, however, its writers will continue working remotely.
The news comes two weeks after WarnerMedia Entertainment, HBO’s parent company, shut down production on all series it oversees. Both Succession and Barry were left out of this list, as the series were in pre-production phases. “We are looking forward to resuming preproduction when it is safe and healthy for everyone working on our shows to do so,” an HBO spokesperson said in a statement. “Where possible, our writers are continuing to write remotely.”
Barry stars Bill Hader (Saturday Night Live) as the titular character, a former hitman who turns to acting upon moving to Los Angeles. Under acting coach Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler of Happy Days fame), Barry uncovers his newfound love for the craft, albeit while still dealing with criminal forces from his past life. The series premiered on HBO in March 2018 and found instant praise for Hader’s dramatic acting chops in addition to Winkler’s performance, racking up a whopping 30 Emmy nominations since. Hader has taken home the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series twice, while Winkler won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his performance in the first season.
Succession has experienced similar hype from HBO audiences since its Summer 2018 debut. Following the dysfunctional Roy family, owners of media conglomerate Waystar Royco, the series depicts the four children of patriarch magnate Logan Roy (Brian Cox of X2: X-Men United) as they begin to envision the company’s future without him. Succession features an ensemble cast that includes Nicholas Braun (How to Be Single), Kieran Culkin (FX’s Fargo), Sarah Snook (Steve Jobs), Jeremy Strong (The Big Short), and Hiam Abbass (Ramy), among others. The series received five Emmy nominations for its first season, and is expected to bring home more gold this fall as a top contender at the 2020 ceremony.
HBO has additionally halted production of both The Righteous Gemstones and Euphoria amidst the coronavirus crisis.