On May 2nd, 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike. On July 14th, 2023, the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) followed. The unions representing writers and actors went on strike after their contracts expired with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the association that represents media companies like Netflix, Disney, Paramount, Universal, and others. Marking this the first time since 1960 that both unions have gone on strike at the same time.
What were the reasons the unions went on strike?
The WGA and SAG-AFTRA went on strike for a multitude of reasons but both writers and actors are fighting for contracts that prevent an AI from replacing them at their jobs, whether it’s writing scripts or appearing as a background actor. They’re also looking for better pay when working on shows for streaming services.
Actor and SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said in a statement that “SAG-AFTRA negotiated in good faith and was eager to reach a deal that sufficiently addressed performer needs,” but “the companies have refused to meaningfully engage on some topics and on others completely stonewalled us.”
We’re already starting to see the effects of the strike, with shows and movies like Deadpool 3, Stranger Things, Thunderbolts, The Last of Us, and many more in limbo until both unions reach an agreement with the AMPTP.
What productions are on hold because of the strike and how is this affecting us?
With a double strike ongoing, the industry has already confirmed numerous films and TV shows that have halted production for the foreseeable future. Emmy-nominated show The Last of Us was met with total success, bringing in more than 8 million viewers by its finale. The announcement for Season 2 was confirmed almost immediately, however, due to the writers’ strike, progress for the upcoming season has been slow, arguably nonexistent.
Another show that has been affected by the strike is Stranger Things Season 5. It was delayed due to the writers’ strike and was meant to begin filming earlier this month, not wrapping up until June 2024. However, by adding the SAG strike into the mix, we can assume that production will be pushed back once again, with no estimate on when to expect it to be released.
Many other popular shows such as The White Lotus and Euphoria are on production hold. There are also many movie productions on hold because of the strike, such as Challengers. Challengers, starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist, was on track to become one of 2023’s most highly anticipated films. Now, due to the strikes, its original release date of September 15 is being pushed back to April 26, 2024.
Even though many productions have shut down, there are still exceptions that the union can participate in. Some exceptions of productions SAG and WGA can work in are independent projects/non-union projects. They can also uphold other contracts for gigs like voice work in video games, animated TV shows, audiobooks, and dubbing for foreign language projects. Or they can still do commercials, live entertainment, podcasts, and student films.
