Studios and Screenwriters Reach Tentative Three-Year Deal After 146-Day Strike

Studios and Screenwriters have come to a tentative three-year deal, after a 146-day-long strike. Voting still needs to take place among the union members, and until the contract is finalized, they will remain on strike, according to the WGA strike captains.

Writers Guild of America wrote in a letter to its 11,500 members about the news, and said, "We can say, with great pride, that this deal is exceptional. With meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership."

In a rather unconventional turn of events, notable figures in the entertainment industry, including Disney CEO Bob Iger, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, and Universal Pictures' chief content officer Donna Langley, recently engaged in an extended five-day negotiation session. This unorthodox move underscored the studios' determination to recommence their operations following a hiatus that compelled them to delay the premieres of several films and series. The impasse revolved around the demands of screenwriters, who were seeking augmented compensation and residuals for their content on streaming platforms. They also proposed a residual formula tied to viewership metrics. However, executives raised concerns about profitability and recent layoffs, while streaming giants remained reticent about disclosing viewership data.

Furthermore, the writers insisted on guaranteed staffing levels for television series, expressing reservations about the utilization of "mini rooms" and its potential to disrupt narrative coherence and hinder the growth of writers. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) extended an olive branch, permitting showrunners to enlist at least two writers per show, though specifics of this agreement have not been disclosed. Additionally, studios conceded certain demands to safeguard the creative work of writers from generative AI software.

Meanwhile, the SAG-AFTRA actors' strike, which commenced in July, continues as they anticipate the AMPTP's return to the negotiation table to address their fresh contract demands.