Hollywood actors join screenwriters in historic industry-stopping strike as contract talks collapse
17 July 2023
(NEXSTAR) – When actors joined screenwriters in authorizing a strike last week, it became the first dual strike between the two major unions in about 60 years.
As long as the strike lasts, union rules say actors are not to do any part of their jobs. They are not allowed to promote their work on podcasts or at premieres. They are barred from doing any production work including auditions, readings, rehearsals, voiceovers or wardrobe fittings. And of course, they’re also not allowed to shoot new content.
Naturally, that has many major productions on hold for the time being.
While “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning” aired in theaters around the country over the weekend, production on its sequel (“Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two”) was delayed by the strike, NBC News confirmed. Filming was supposed to resume after Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, and the film’s other actors finished promotion of the “Part One” release, according to NBC.
Speaking of sequels, “Gladiator 2,” which was set to premiere 24 years after the 2000 “Gladiator” movie starring Russell Crowe, is also delayed by the strike. The Hollywood Reporter writes the cast, which includes Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington, had already started shooting on location in Morocco and Malta.
Another action movie blockbuster, Marvel’s “Deadpool 3” also halted production when the strike was authorized, Variety reports.
“Venom 3,” another movie series based on a Marvel comics character, is also on pause, according to Mashable.
Disney’s live action remake of “Lilo & Stitch,” which started filming earlier this year in Hawaii, is also on hold, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed.
The actors strike will force nearly every U.S.-based show that hasn’t already been shut down by the writers strikes into hiatus. Forthcoming seasons of television shows are likely to be delayed indefinitely.
The writers’ strike had an almost instant effect on late-night network talk shows, including NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” ABC’s “ Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and CBS’s “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” which all went on hiatus immediately. “Saturday Night Live” axed its last three episodes of the season.
In the two months since, many scripted television series have also shut down, including Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” Max’s “Hacks,” Showtime’s “Yellow Jackets,” and Apple TV+’s “Severance.”
It may take longer to notice the actors’ strike on the streaming menus on Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, though lovers of those outlets’ original series will eventually have to wait longer than usual for their favorites to return.
Shoots outside the U.S., where different unions and contracts operate, can continue, as the British-based “House of the Dragon” will for HBO, though the strike is likely to have a secondary drag on those too.
Reality shows, game shows and most daytime talk shows will likely be unaffected.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.