Bitter Hollywood conflict jeopardizes new blockbusters: now it gets really ugly

Members of the Writers Guild Of America (WGA), the screenwriters’ union, have been on strike in Hollywood since May 2, 2023. The effects of this strike are already being felt everywhere, including in this country: current formats such as night shows can no longer produce new programs and many major Hollywood series and films cannot be (further) filmed., because they are either affected by the WGA or the scripts are simply missing. The Marvel movies “Blade” and “Thunderbolts” have been affected.

An agreement between the WGA and the Alliance Of Motion Picture And Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents the major studios, streaming services and TV channels, is not in sight – on the contrary: The conflict between the union and the studios is getting uglier.

Authors “bleed out” until they become homeless

The American trade magazine has just published an article citing numerous sources in studio circles. The tenor of the various insiders: Both the AMPTP and the studios, broadcasters and streaming services plan to continue the strike for months to “bleed” the authors.as one Hollywood veteran, who remains anonymous of course, puts it.

The AMPTP does not want to resume negotiations until the end of October – or actually start for the first time, because how writes, there have been no talks at all between the union and the AMPTP since early May, although the WGA has called for meetings on several occasions. The AMPTP in turn claims that there have been no official requests for negotiations.

According to the sources of In any case, the plan is that many members of the WGA will be broke in the autumn of 2023 after almost six months of strikes and are in danger of losing their apartments and houses. It’s cruel, but a “necessary evil,” they say.

Because of course, during the strike, the screenwriters cannot earn money from their craft – and one of the main reasons for the strike is that they want to be paid better and have a fairer share of the profits of films and series. So probably hardly anyone in the WGA has large reserves. Because what is often underestimated: there are some prominent names in the industry that can command amounts in the millions, but this is the blatant minority. The majority of screenwriters already have a hard time paying the rent in expensive Los Angeles with their often very irregular income.

In the fall, the studios think that the WGA members will be so desperate that they themselves will put pressure on the WGA leadership. The AMPTP would then prevail in subsequent negotiations and be able to dictate its terms to the WGA. At the same time, the WGA would have little leverage to enforce its own demands. An insider would say they want to “break” the WGA.

Is it all studio propaganda?

At the same time, the voices from WGA circles are getting louder – Label items as studio propaganda. And that cannot be simply dismissed: for even if all this at first glance seems as if the evil AMPTP and its methods are to blame here, Of course, such articles also create a certain threatening background.

For example, screenwriter David Slack (“Teen Titans”, “Law & Order”) writes on Twitter that the studios are also in financial difficulties due to the strike. Soon the studios, streaming services and TV channels would finally run out of scripts which in turn would mean no new series and movies and would also be reflected in the declining share price of the respective parent companies for the foreseeable future. The studios are then ready to negotiate at the latest.

After all, in 2023, which will not lack a few costly flops and disappointments, the studios will probably also come under pressure from their shareholders if it turns out that a break with fewer or worse films is imminent – such as the last major strike in 2007/2008.

Will the actors also go on strike from tomorrow?

To some extent, these are certainly slogans for the WGA to uphold, and the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle. However, there is one development that could play into the hands of the screenwriters: a SAG-AFTRA strike could be announced on July 13, 2023.the union of actors (and related professions) in Hollywood.

On a second strike the approximately 160,000 SAG-AFTRA members were no longer able to fire, as a result of which the other productions would also come to a standstill. And even current titles in the present would suddenly take a hard hit.

Because the actors are no longer allowed to advertise new films and series during a strike, which should significantly reduce box office prospects for upcoming blockbusters. One of the reasons ‘The Flash’ flopped is that Ezra Miller, the film’s star, failed to promote the DC blockbuster. The reason for this was the numerous scandals and allegations in which Miller was involved.

Another strike brings Hollywood to a halt

If it came to that, it would be an absolutely extraordinary event that would shake Hollywood. Because almost nothing would work anymore. No new films and series can be developed for the distant future – because the authors are on strike. And no titles can be filmed for the foreseeable future – because the actors are on strike.

A concrete example of a film that would be particularly affected by another strike is “dead pool 3“. It is currently being played because the script was ready before the writers’ strike and the protagonist Ryan Reynolds, who is heavily involved in the script, simply makes the necessary adjustments himself. He shouldn’t be able to continue with a strike from his guild either.

In this case, the planned cinema release on May 1, 2024 would hardly be feasible, Marvel might have to postpone many MCU movies again, which could cost parent company Disney dearly. This example shows that the studios also play a dangerous game if they let the authors bleed and hope to reach an agreement with the actors in the short term.

Either way, things remain tense in Hollywood – and the escalating conflict between the AMPTP and the unions is increasingly being fought out…