Following another round of pandemic-related delays, FX chairman and unofficial mayor of television John Landgraf announced today that Atlanta seasons three and four will resume production in early 2021.
We first reported on the back-to-back shooting schedule and premieres for two new seasons of Donald Glover’s acclaimed comedy-drama in August 2019. Today, Landgraf noted the shifting availability of the cast and creative team due to the COVD-19 pandemic has also had an effect on the scheduling, along with the network establishing its own “sense of when we could return to work safely.” Precautions are being taken, and FX is coordinating with the cast to move forward with a plan to “shoot two seasons in one.” In more heartening news, Landgraf revealed that all episodes for seasons three and four of Atlanta have already been written:
One of the things that’s been kind of an unexpected boon from COVID-19 is that writers have had a lot of time to write. Donald Glover and his intrepid team of partners have written everything for seasons three and four. One [episode] shoots primarily in Europe, one primarily in Atlanta. The intent is to shoot them all at one time, essentially back to back.
Landgraf, who loves all his TV shows equally, did say it’s been “heartbreaking” to have to push back the premiere of Atlanta.
When we last left Earn (Donald Glover), Alfred/Paper Boi (Brian Tyree Henry), and Darius (Lakeith Stanfield) at the end of Robbin’ Season, Earn was more morally compromised than ever. There’s no word on what direction seasons three and four will move in, or whether some other animated kids show inspired the storytelling structure of the new episodes. But Glover, Henry, and Stanfield, as well as Zazie Beetz, have all had plenty to keep them busy, including album releases, rom-coms, a Steve McQueen-directed heist, and the odd Deadpool movie.