The critically acclaimed HBO drama Succession is aiming for a late 2020 start date for the shooting of season 3. The show follows the tempestuous relationships between members of the Roy family and the power struggles within their company Waystar Roco - a stand-in for various powerful media conglomerates like News Corp. Executive produced by Adam McKay and created by Jesse Armstrong, the show has gained immense critical acclaim for its sharp wit and nuanced, complicated characters that can't be easily defined in black-and-white terms. In a display of impressive tone-juggling, the show balances biting satirical comedy and genuine, sometimes horrifying, dramatic moments. Among fans, Succession has often been described as a mix of Arrested Development and Game of Thrones.
Like every film and TV production in 2020, Succession has faced delays due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Back in March, it was announced that Succession, along with fellow HBO comedy-drama Barry, would have the shooting delayed for their respective upcoming seasons. The show's writing staff would continue to write new episodes, but filming was delayed until a time when it was deemed safe to begin shooting. Succession was supposed to start shooting in April (presumably with a Fall release to keep in line with the previous season), so its delay more or less confirmed that season 3 wouldn't air during 2020.
In an interview with Variety, Succession creator Jesse Armstrong said that the production is aiming to begin shooting before Christmas of this year. However, he also emphasized that given the nature of the pandemic, plans could always change. While he hopes to begin shooting for the upcoming season before 2021, Armstrong made it clear that there were no concrete dates set for the beginning of production.
Given the extra time that the writing staff had due to the delay, Armstrong was also asked if there were any changes being made to the team's original plans for Succession season 3. While he did note that he and the writing team are trying to take advantage of the space they've been given to develop the season, he also doesn't think its been all that helpful. Armstrong stated that, despite the increased time, he isn't particularly more productive than he would have been if the show stuck to its original schedule. This comes as a bit of a surprise as many writers for movies and TV shows have claimed the production shutdowns have given them time to perfect scripts and storylines.
The decision to delay production is necessary and understandable. However, the gap between seasons has proven to be quite frustrating for fans of Succession - given the show's jaw-dropping final moments in the season 2 finale. Fans have been theorizing and eagerly anticipating what the fallout of Kendall Roy's shocking decision will be. However, the health and safety of the cast and crew of the show are ultimately more important, and viewers are more than willing to be patient. While fans may have to wait a little bit longer, the enticing drama of Succession will surely have people tuning in whenever the show does return.
Source: Variety