Screenwriters in the United States have reportedly reached a tentative agreement with studio executives that could end their nearly five-month-long strike.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has described the agreement as “exceptional, with significant gains and protections for writers.” WGA members must still approve the deal.
Hollywood writers have been on strike over pay and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the industry.
Among the programs that have been halted are Stranger Things and The Last of Us.
This strike, the longest in decades to affect Hollywood, has brought most film and television production to a halt.
In a separate dispute, actors have also gone on strike.
Economist Kevin Klowden of the Milken Institute estimates that the writers’ strike, which began on May 2, has cost the US economy approximately $5 billion (£4.08 billion).
Several of America’s most popular television programs, including Billions, The Handmaid’s Tale, Hacks, Severance, Yellowjackets, The Last of Us, Stranger Things, Abbott Elementary, and several daytime and late-night talk programs, have been canceled due to the dispute.
In addition to compensation concerns, writers are worried about the impact of artificial intelligence on their work.
Negotiations have also failed over staffing levels and royalties paid to writers of popular streaming programs. They contend that residuals are a small fraction of what they would earn from a broadcast television program.
Authors used to receive additional compensation when their shows were repeated on a broadcast network, but this model was undermined by the introduction of streaming.
As a result, the payments that authors now receive typically include an amount intended to compensate for the lost royalties from broadcast repeats.
Before returning to work, WGA leadership and union members must negotiate a three-year contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
“We are, as of today, suspending WGA picketing,” the guild’s statement on the proposed agreement reads. It states that details still need to be finalized and that the strike is not yet over.
Variety, a Hollywood trade publication, reported that staff for late-night talk programs could return to work as early as Tuesday, and that broadcasts could resume as early as October.
In its message to members, however, the union’s negotiating committee pleaded for patience regarding the pact’s specifics.
“It is now up to our staff to ensure that all of our agreements are codified in the final contract language,” the union said.
“We are eager to share with you the details of what has been accomplished, but we cannot do so until the last ‘i’ has been dotted.”
The strike has affected many sectors of the entertainment industry, including caterers, costume suppliers, carpenters, and camera operators.
In recent days, the CEOs of Netflix, Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros. Discovery have personally participated in the negotiations, providing fresh impetus.
Since mid-July, actors have been on strike, represented by the 160,000-member SAG-AFTRA performers’ union.
The body congratulated the striking writers and praised their “146 days of incredible strength, solidarity, and perseverance.”
The strike has impacted many sectors of the entertainment industry, including caterers, costume suppliers, carpenters, and camera operators.
Hollywood’s writers and other figures enthusiastically welcomed the news of an agreement.
Larry Wilmore, an American comedian, writer, and talk show host, simply posted, “Finally!!!”
Alex Zaragoza, a writer for the Amazon Freevee series Primo, said, “This strike has been incredibly difficult. Essential, stimulating, and extremely challenging. But we succeeded! We fought together.”
Caroline Renard, the author of Disney’s Secrets of Sulphur Springs, tweeted, “We have an agreement. That was the most difficult endeavor I’ve ever performed. The captain signs off!”
Actors also lent their support, with The Shield star Michael Chiklis saying, “Phenomenal news! Now, let’s finish this up and get back to business!”
Abbott Elementary actress Sheryl Lee Ralph congratulated the WGA on reaching a provisional agreement with the AMPTP after 146 days on strike.
She added, “Sag-Aftra remains committed to negotiating the necessary terms for our members when it is our turn to return to the negotiating table.”
Prior to the announcement of a potential resolution to the writers’ strike, Happy Valley star James Norton discussed the ongoing effects of that and the actors’ strikes on workers.
“Many, many crew members are also suffering,” he said at the San Sebastian International Film Festival.
“This affects a great number of individuals. Every department, including caterers, grips, and pyrotechnics… It’s an enormous problem. And for them, very little will change. They are making the supreme sacrifice for us.”
