As the deadline for the expiration of its film and television contracts passed at midnight with no deal reached, SAG-AFTRA will meet in the next few hours, and an actor’s strike is likely to get underway shortly thereafter.
This will mark the first dual strike by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA since 1960 and is quickly expected to impact the global film and TV industry, with production on many scripted studio films and TV series freezing as soon as the strike goes ahead.
The writer’s strike, currently in its third month, has already shut down plenty of productions within the United States. However, combined with an actor’s strike, remaining productions with SAG-AFTRA talent shooting overseas in places around Europe and Australia will likely have to come to a halt.
Film-wise the biggest productions in the midst of shooting that are likely to hit pause immediately include numerous high-profile sequels such as Ridley Scott’s “Gladiator 2,” Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice 2,” Shawn Levy’s “Deadpool 3,” Lee Isaac Chung’s “Twisters,” and the sequel to the recent “Mortal Kombat” adaptation.
Also likely to be stopped is the two-part “Wicked” musical and Clint Eastwood’s apparent final film “Juror #2. Also, some films that were scheduled to begin filming in the next few weeks could be delayed – including “Paddington in Peru” and “Final Destination 6”.
Some projects should be OK. Whilst the second season of HBO’s “House of the Dragon” will likely be impacted, Amazon Prime Video’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” wrapped its second season a few weeks ago.
Roland Emmerich’s gladiator series “Those About to Die” filmed its scenes with SAG actors already and so will likely continue, whereas the new adaptation of “The Day of the Jackal” starring Eddie Redmayne is likely to shutter.
Fede Alvarez’s new “Alien” film has wrapped its main shoot, but Noah Hawley’s planned “Alien” FX series adaptation of the property has been in pre-production in Thailand and will likely be impacted.
Source: Variety
