The ongoing actors strike, the first dual strike alongside screenwriters in roughly six decades, has brought a number of notable film and TV productions to a standstill.
According to union rules, actors are prohibited from performing any aspect of their jobs during the strike. This includes promotional activities, production work, and naturally, shooting new content.
Major films affected by the strike include “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two,” “Gladiator 2,” “Deadpool 3,” and “Venom 3.” The production of Disney’s live-action remake of “Lilo & Stitch” has also been put on hold.
The strike is set to impact almost all U.S.-based shows not already halted by the writers strike. Late-night network talk shows like NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and CBS’s “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” went on hiatus immediately. Further, “Saturday Night Live” cancelled its last three episodes of the season.
Several scripted TV series have also been put on hold, including Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” Max’s “Hacks,” Showtime’s “Yellow Jackets,” and Apple TV+’s “Severance.” Though it may take a while for the effects of the actors’ strike to be felt on streaming platforms like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, fans will eventually face longer waiting times for their favorite shows to return.
Productions outside the U.S., where different unions and contracts are in place, can continue, but the strike is likely to have some impact on these as well. This strike emphasizes the critical role of labor unions in protecting workers’ rights and illustrates the far-reaching implications of labor disputes in the entertainment industry.