We are now in the third month of the Hollywood screenwriters’ strike, and the situation is worsening. Last May, industry writers went on strike through the Writers Guild of America (WGA) against major studios. The reasons were varied, ranging from improved working conditions to addressing the threat of AI to their profession.
But, even though it was initially believed to be a momentary strike that would only temporarily paralyze the industry for a couple of months, the fight continues and there seems to be no end in sight. Additionally, another union is on the verge of joining the strike: the SAG-AFTRA, a union representing over 160,000 actors.
But what happens if these two strikes converge? In what situation will Hollywood find itself, and how will it overcome this significant impasse for the industry? The consequences, as reported by Deadline, could be numerous and as disastrous as we can imagine.
A turning point for Hollywood
Regarding television series, we already know that dozens of shows have been halted due to the strikes, from Stranger Things to American Horror Story, and even The Penguin and Daredevil: Born Again. But if the actors join the strike, many ongoing series with completed scripts would also go on hiatus. This could potentially deprive us of productions like House of the Dragon, Andor, or Slow Horses.
According to the rules of the SAG-AFTRA strike, “no member of the union shall render any services or enter into any agreement to perform services for any employer who has not signed a minimum basic agreement with the union, which is in full force and effect, in any jurisdiction where there exists a SAG-AFTRA national collective bargaining agreement.”
As a result, not only would many upcoming series face delays, but the cost of pre-production could lead to some seasons never seeing the light of day and series being canceled due to a failure to reach a preventative agreement. In other words, we could witness the cancellation of numerous well-known series.
However, this is not the worst part. In the film industry, the convergence of these strikes would further complicate the conflict. A total strike by SAG-AFTRA would result in the cancellation of Hollywood films being produced worldwide. While platform agencies claim to be prepared for the WGA strike, the addition of another union joining the rebellion would create a complete desert in theaters during the fourth quarter of the year.
So far, major studios have shown no interest in postponing some of their planned 2023 releases to 2024, as the WGA strike only affects future projects and has merely caused date delays for upcoming films like Avengers: The Kang Dynasty or Avengers: Secret Wars.
However, a SAG-AFTRA strike would also involve actors’ participation in film promotion, which means many completed films ready for release would unavoidably be delayed as a result. If that were to happen, it would greatly impact theaters and lead to a multimillion-dollar decline in the industry.
But it’s not just the film and television industry that would be affected by these strikes… there’s more. The Emmy Awards ceremony is scheduled for September 18th, and if an agreement is not reached by then, it will obviously have to be canceled. Furthermore, any ceremony held in Hollywood would be impossible to carry out in this situation, including the Oscars or Comic-Con.
Beyond major studio productions, indie cinema is also heavily impacted by the strike, with many projects being canceled as a result. Looking further, the consequences extend to international film festivals and even the financial world, which is refraining from investing in the film industry due to the instability.
Undoubtedly, this is the most significant Hollywood strike in many years, and if it continues this way, the business may change forever. There is even talk of the dissolution of these unions and the creation of many new ones that could change the landscape… but this would be a victory for the studios, and nobody seems to want that.
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