2023 Recap: The lasting impact of the SAG-AFTRA WGA strike
Delays in Film and TV Projects Persist Despite the End of Strikes
With the actors strike and writers strike in the rearview of 2023, there is a list of film and TV projects that are still experiencing delays.
The Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists was on strike for 144 days, which ended on Nov. 9. Meanwhile, the Writers Guild of America began its 148-day strike slightly earlier and ended it on Sept. 27. The work stoppages cost Hollywood billions of dollars in delays, in addition to wreaking havoc on schedules at the box office and for online streaming companies.
Television Shows Affected by the Strikes
- Netflix’s Unstable had to postpone production for its second season due to the WGA strike. It is now set to restart production at the end of this year.
- The animated series Big Mouth managed to release its seventh season during the strike hiatus, but production for its eighth and final season came to a halt. It is now tentatively scheduled for release in fall 2025.
- Emily in Paris won’t begin filming in France and Italy until Jan. 15, 2024, resulting in an unknown release date.
- Stranger Things released a photo of the fifth season’s script, indicating that the writers were back to work, but no release date has been announced yet.
- Showtime’s Yellow Jackets faced interruptions during its preproduction phase, leading to an unknown release date for its third season.
HBO’s The Last of Us is scheduled to begin production for its second season on Feb. 12, 2024. The delays in television production also caused the postponement of the Emmy Awards to Jan. 15, 2024.
Impact on Films
While many films have been delayed due to the strikes, one movie, Wicked, had its release date moved up. The two-part film series was originally set for Christmas Day 2024 and the following year’s Christmas, but now it will be released on Nov. 27, 2024, and Nov. 26, 2025.
Actor Joaquin Phoenix’s latest venture, The Island, has resumed production in September but does not have a release date yet. Phoenix’s previous film, Napolean, was unaffected by the strike and was released in November, although it received less promotion due to the ongoing labor disputes. He is also set to star in Joker 2: Folie à Deux, expected to hit theaters in October 2024.
Marvel Studios had to rearrange its release schedule for seven movies through 2027. Notably, the untitled Deadpool movie took on the release date of Captain America: Brave New World, which will now come out on February 14, 2025. This date was originally assigned to Blade, which has been rescheduled for November 7, 2025. The changes continued with Fantastic Four moving to May 2, 2025, Avengers: Kang Dynasty shifting to May 1, 2026, and Avengers: Secret Wars being pushed to May 7, 2027. Finally, the release date for the Thunderbolts movie moved from December 20, 2024, to July 25, 2025.
Despite the strikes coming to an end, the repercussions continue to impact the entertainment industry, causing delays and rescheduling of highly anticipated projects.
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What caused the delays in the production of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”?
Rd season.
Despite the strikes officially coming to an end, the effects are still being felt throughout the industry, as evident from the continued delays in these film and TV projects. The strikes not only caused financial losses for production companies and studios, but also disrupted the careers of countless industry professionals and workers. The strike action was taken by the unions to demand better wages, working conditions, and healthcare benefits for their members. While the strikes did lead to some improvements in these areas, the aftermath is now being experienced in the form of project delays and rescheduling. Production delays can have a significant impact on the success of a film or TV show. It not only affects the release date, but also disrupts marketing strategies, distribution plans, and overall audience anticipation. The delays caused by the strikes have forced studios and networks to make difficult decisions regarding release dates and production schedules, resulting in uncertainty and frustration for both the industry and the audience. As the industry tries to recover from the aftermath of the strikes, it is crucial for stakeholders to work together in finding solutions to minimize future disruptions. This may involve revisiting labor agreements, improving communication between unions and production companies, and implementing contingency plans to mitigate the impact of any potential future strikes. It remains to be seen how long it will take for the industry to fully recover from the delays caused by the strikes. However, with proper planning, collaboration, and a shared commitment to the success of film and TV projects, the industry can navigate through these challenging times and continue to deliver compelling content to audiences worldwide.Film Projects Affected by the Strikes
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