Cinemas are breathing a sigh of relief as major movies like Barbie, Oppenheimer, and Mission Impossible 8 are already in production.
However, if the ongoing strike extends for months, picturehouses could face problems, and viewers may have nothing new to watch except reality TV and live sports.
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) announced during a news conference that the strike would involve members on its 2020 TV and theatrical contract.
Films
Several major blockbusters currently in production, such as Ghostbusters 4, Mufasa: The Lion King, Avatar 3 and 4, and the third installment of the Paddington series, Paddington in Peru, may be impacted.
The UK is also expected to feel the effects of the strike, potentially delaying the release of movies like Deadpool 3, starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman. Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice sequel and the film adaptation of the musical Wicked could also face delays. Beetlejuice 2 had just commenced filming in Vermont when the strike was announced, while Wicked, starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, has been shooting in the UK for months. The first of two Wicked films is scheduled for release in November 2024.
Overseas productions, including the Gladiator sequel starring Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington, are likely to be impacted as well. The new Gladiator film is currently being shot in Morocco and Malta, with British crews heavily involved in the production team.
The strike also affects promotional activities for upcoming releases, such as Disney’s Haunted Mansion, a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film, and Kenneth Branagh’s Agatha Christie mystery A Haunting in Venice, all of which have scheduled promotional events like press junkets and red-carpet premieres.
The strike by performers will bring a halt to a significant portion of production work and disrupt schedules. In Los Angeles, the number of filming permits for feature films and television projects has dropped by 64% compared to the same week in 2022, according to FilmLA.
It’s important to note that UK actors represented by Equity, SAG-AFTRA’s sister union, are not part of the strike and are required to continue working as normal. The strike does not apply to them, and performers joining the strike in the UK may face dismissal or breach of contract lawsuits by producers.
TV shows
While the impact on TV shows may be limited due to completed scripts, fully written screenplays are likely to go unused because of the strike. Series like House of the Dragon, the Game of Thrones spin-off, the second season of The Sandman, and the fourth season of Slow Horses may face delays.
However, it’s possible that side deals could be reached between guild performers and producers to allow certain projects to continue despite the strike.
