Amid the ongoing writers’ strike, major studios, including Amazon, HBO, Warner Bros. TV, NBCUniversal, Disney, CBS Studios, and others, will be putting a hold on certain first-look and overall contracts. Insiders told Variety that Amazon would dispatch letters on Monday to inform those affected, with some exceptions for non-writing producers.
Although formal letters have not been dispatched, HBO will reportedly make calls to notify affected individuals. David Simon, a creator of “The Wire,” shared his experience of HBO suspending his contract after 25 years on Twitter.
Disney has informed those who have overall contracts and are not working that their contracts will be suspended. However, active non-writing producers have yet to have their contracts put on hold. It’s anticipated that Netflix and Paramount will send similar letters later this week.
While most studios have avoided using the term “termination”, one has reportedly mentioned it in their letter for transparency. The approach varies from studio to studio, with some suspending all overall deals and others making decisions on a case-by-case basis. Certain studios have refrained from suspending all term deals, particularly those with showrunners expected to continue non-writing producer duties. However, many showrunners who received such a letter have publicly contested the existence of “non-writing producer duties.”
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) initiated the strike following unsuccessful negotiations for a new contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The strike quickly led to picketing in New York City, Los Angeles, and Atlanta, and several productions were forced to shut down.
The suspension of overall contracts, while unsettling, is not surprising. Agency sources have confirmed to Variety that they and their clients have anticipated this scenario as the strike discussions intensified. The contracts for such deals clearly state that participating in a “labour action” like a strike grants the studio the right to suspend a contract and halt payments.
Agency representatives stressed that there had yet to be talk about ultimately terminating deals. Such a move would only likely be considered if the strike continued for an extended period.
Affected Shows, Series & Movies
The immediate impact of the strike was felt on late-night shows, including NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” and “Late Night With Seth Meyers;” CBS’ “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert;” ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!;” HBO’s “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” and “Real Time With Bill Maher,” all of which went off-air as soon as the strike began.
Also affected is the 48th season of “Saturday Night Live” on NBC, which will now air repeats. The MTV Movie & TV Awards show also felt the impact, with host Drew Barrymore stepping down to support the strike.
Additionally, production on some returning shows has paused. Many TV showrunners publicly supported their fellow writers, updating viewers on their show status. Notably, the Duffer brothers halted production on the fifth season of their popular Netflix series “Stranger Things,” while Jen Statsky, the creator of “Hacks,” announced that the HBO show is also pausing production. Quinta Brunson, creator and star of the Emmy-winning sitcom “Abbott Elementary,” affirmed she is part of the WGA and is striking for fair compensation for writers.
According to co-creator Ashley Lyle, writing for season three of Showtime’s “Yellowjackets” was suspended after one day. Furthermore, the writers’ room for season six of “Cobra Kai” was closed until a fair deal was reached, as co-creator and writer Jon Hurwitz stated.
Mayer warned that viewers might see the effects of the strike on the writing of their favourite shows, even if the dispute is resolved sooner than expected. As everyone returns to report and the world evolves, shows’ storylines may need to be adjusted according to current events, including political developments.
In support of the strike, some actors have also made moves. The actor and talk show host, Drew Barrymore stopped hosting the MTV Movie & TV Awards show on Sunday. She stated that she had listened to the writers and, out of respect for them, withdrew from hosting the event in solidarity with the strike.
“I have listened to the writers, and to truly respect them, I will pivot from hosting the MTV Movie & TV Awards live in solidarity with the strike,” she said in a statement to NBC News. “Everything we celebrate and honour about movies and television is born from their creation.”
Production on some returning shows, such as Netflix’s hit series “Stranger Things,” has been put on hold. Showrunners Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer announced on Twitter that they had stopped production on the series’s fifth season.
“Writing does not stop when filming begins,” they wrote in a tweet Saturday. “While we’re excited to start production with our amazing cast and crew, it is impossible during this strike. We hope a fair deal is reached soon so we can all return to work. Until then — over and out. #wgastrong.”
Other TV showrunners, like Jen Statsky of HBO’s “Hacks,” Quinta Brunson of “Abbott Elementary,” and Ashley Lyle of Showtime’s “Yellowjackets,” also expressed solidarity with the striking writers and announced halts to their respective productions until a fair agreement is reached.
The writers’ strike will continue to significantly impact the television and film industry until a resolution that satisfies all parties can be found.
AFI Lifetime Achievement Award Show
The American Film Institute’s (AFI) Lifetime Achievement Award, set to be awarded to Nicole Kidman in June, has been postponed indefinitely. The ceremony, often broadcast on television, was initially scheduled for June 10.
American Dad Season 20
Seth MacFarlane, co-creator and star of American Dad, executive producer/writer Brian Boyle and co-creator Matt Weitzman are stepping back from the show, currently in its 20th season, until the end of the strike. The show, which premiered its 20th season in March, has around three months’ worth of finished episodes. MacFarlane has been spotted on the picket lines and was an outspoken supporter of the last writers’ strike in 2007-2008.
American Horror Story Season 12
American Horror Story Season 12, like Billions (May 4, below), also faced a delay in production as Teamsters showed their solidarity with the picketers at the NYC set. Trucks headed for the set turned around upon seeing the picket lines.
Andor Season 2
Tony Gilroy, creator, showrunner, and executive producer of Andor, announced that he had halted all non-writing duties on Andor Season 2 since the strike began. He made this decision after allegations surfaced that he was “scabbing” (crossing the picket lines and continuing work) during the strike. Major studios, including Disney and Warner Bros., have allegedly pressured showrunners to continue their non-writing duties during the strike, implying they’d be required to go against their guild’s mandates.
Big Mouth Final Season
The final season of Big Mouth was six weeks into its Season 8 writers’ room when the strike affected its plans. The writers would have completed the scripts for the final season by August, barring any delays.
Billions Season 7
Billions Season 7 in New York faced picketing twice last week from union members. The first picketing on May 4 led to a pause in production but filming resumed later that day. The picketers returned on May 5, but production continued. The union members are likely to return until production is paused.
Blade
Pre-production on Blade, the Marvel series starring Mahershala Ali as the titular vampire hunter, has been halted in response to the writers’ strike. The series was set to start filming in Atlanta in June.
BUNK’D Season 7
Production on Season 7 of BUNK’D, Disney Channel’s longest-running live-action series, has been put on hold. Out of the 20 episodes in Season 7, 12 had already been filmed during the pause.
Daredevil: Born Again
Marvel’s upcoming revival of Daredevil faced a picket line in New York City on Monday, May 8. Picketers successfully shut down production, but filming is expected to commence on May 9.
Evil Season 4
Picketing on May 5 led to a production shutdown on Evil Season 4. Shortly after the picketing, production on Season 4 wrapped up early due to a cast member having to leave to focus on a family issue.
Family Guy Season 22
Like American Dad, MacFarlane is also stepping away from Family Guy in response to the strike, along with executive producer Richard Appel and executive producer, writer, and voice-over actor Alec Sulkin.
Good Trouble Season 5
Production on Good Trouble Season 5 was halted in Agua Dulce, California, on May 9 because IATSE (the crew members union) and Teamsters (the truck drivers union/America’s largest union) refused to cross the picket
Hacks Season 3
Filming of the Hollywood-based writers’ show, Hacks has temporarily ceased during its third season. The halt began in February 2023 as lead actress Jean Smart underwent heart surgery. The production will remain on hold until the strike concludes. “We are disheartened to be separated from our wonderful cast and crew, but there was no alternative,” stated Jen Statsky, the co-creator and executive producer, via Twitter on May 5. She emphasized the importance of writing in every production stage and how it is fundamental to the quality and creation of shows and movies.
A Knight Of The Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight
On May 7, George R. R. Martin confirmed in his blog that the writers’ room for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, the newest Game of Thrones spinoff ordered by HBO in April, is temporarily closed. Martin strongly supported the WGA strike, noting that picket lines were forming across studios in LA and other cities. He added that he expects these protests to continue for a considerable time.
Jeopardy! Season 39
Mayim Bialik is stepping down from her role in the last days of Jeopardy! Season 39 in support of the strike. Ken Jennings will replace her for the final week of filming from May 16-19 at the Sony Pictures lot in Culver City.
Loot Season 2
Production on Apple TV+’s Loot Season 2 was halted in Bel Air on the fourth day of the strike, May 5, due to picketers, as reported by Deadline.
2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards
Originally intended to be a live production hosted by Drew Barrymore, the 2023 MTV Movie & TV Awards was transformed into a compilation of clips after Barrymore withdrew as host in support of the strike on May 4.
Password Season 2
Password, starring Jimmy Fallon and Keke Palmer, was renewed for a second season on May 12. However, the strike has delayed the start of production, which was expected to commence soon.
Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 3
The writers’ room for Power Book III: Raising Kanan Season 3 was shut down due to the strike, according to Deadline.
P-Valley Season 3
Katori Hall, the creator and showrunner of P-Valley, announced on May 10 that production of the show’s third season will be postponed “until a fair deal is reached.”
RAP SH!T Season 2
RAP SH!T completed production of its second season in April, just before the strike’s onset.
Severance Season 2
The production of Severance Season 2 was shut down in New York on May 8 due to strike picketing, as reported by Deadline.
Sinking Spring
On May 9, WGA set up a picket line outside the set of Apple TV+’s Sinking Spring in Philadelphia, leading to a halt in production for the day.
The Last of Us Season 2
Casting for The Last of Us Season 2 was underway when the strike intervened. Variety reported that the series had been auditioning actors, but without scripts for Season 2, the actors were reading dialogue from the video game The Last of Us Part II, which is the basis for the upcoming season.
The Venery of Samantha Bird
The Venery of Samantha Bird, a forthcoming Starz drama starring Katherine Langford, had completed filming for six out of eight episodes of its debut season when the strike indefinitely suspended production on May 6.
2023 Tony Awards
The Tony Awards Management Committee was denied a waiver by the WGA that would have allowed the televised ceremony
Unstable Season 2
The Netflix series Unstable, featuring Rob and Owen Lowe, concluded its first season on March 30. Even though the second season hadn’t officially been confirmed, work on new episodes was underway. Deadline reported that six out of eight scripts for Season 2 were ready, and primary photography was about to commence when the strike caused a halt in production on May 4.
The Upshaws Season 4
The filming of The Upshaws Season 4 has been interrupted due to the strike, as co-star and executive producer Wanda Sykes confirmed to Variety. Despite the halt, ten out of the twelve episodes for the season have been shot and are slated to premiere on Netflix on August 17.
Untitled Ava DuVernay Series
Production on Ava DuVernay’s untitled romantic drama, starring Lauren Ridloff and Joshua Jackson, has been stopped, according to Deadline. DuVernay had entered into a three-year script-to-series agreement with Starz for the show in May 2022. Filming had commenced in Wilmington, North Carolina, in March, but it is now indefinitely on hold.
Regarding internationally filmed shows:
George R.R. Martin, creator of “Game of Thrones,” confirmed that the production of the second season of the “House of the Dragon” spinoff has begun in the United Kingdom on April 11 and will persist. He stated that all scripts for the eight episodes of season 2 were completed long before the strike, and there would be no further revisions. Meanwhile, he mentioned that the writers’ room for his other “GOT” spinoff, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight,” has shut down for the duration of the strike.
Amazon Studios’ “Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power,” filmed in the U.K., continues production, confirmed by a studio representative.
Hulu’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” filmed in Canada, has suspended the production of its forthcoming season. The creator Bruce Miller, confirmed his participation in the strike and has been actively retweeting other writers’ picket line updates.
International writing guilds, including The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, the Australian Writers’ Guild, The Writers Guild of Canada, and The New Zealand Writers Guild, have declared their support for the WGA. The Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) stated in a memo, “The compensation issues raised by WGA writers are the same concerns affecting writers worldwide.”
The strike has affected domestic and international productions, from high-profile series to upcoming projects. It has highlighted the interconnectedness of the global entertainment industry and underscored the importance of fair compensation for writers, who are the backbone of these productions. The solidarity shown by international guilds further emphasizes the shared concerns and collective power of writers worldwide. As the industry awaits the strike’s resolution, audiences may have to brace themselves for delays or changes in their favourite shows and eagerly awaited new releases.
