We're mere hours away from members of SAG-AFTRA joining the WGA on strike, and that means Hollywood will soon grind to a very sudden halt. A number of high-profile productions have already been forced to halt work in recent weeks, and more are set to join them, albeit overseas instead of solely in the U.S.
For the first time since 1960, when a strike is called, the union will direct its 160,000 members to immediately stop all scripted film and TV work around the world. That also means no junkets, premieres, or interviews, though we don't anticipate the studios and streamers backing down.
As a result, it could be months before movies and TV shows resume work as normal and that's inevitably going to result in some big release date delays.
According to Variety, the fact actors will soon be unable to work means both Gladiator 2 (which is shooting in Morocco) and the Australia-based Mortal Kombat 2 will have no other choice than to pause production.
The latter only recently started shooting and excitement has rapidly been building thanks to a combination of impressive casting additions and on-set teases. Now, that momentum will suffer a fatality, though one benefit is the fact Mortal Kombat 2 is undated, ensuring any sort of delay could go largely unnoticed.
In terms of the small screen, Noah Hawley's Alien TV series for FX is currently in the midst of pre-production in Thailand.
According to the trade, the show is an ambitious undertaking which has so far booked out a number of Bangkok studios in preparation for a large shoot. Well, with a mix of SAG-AFTRA and Equity members making up the cast (including two of the leads), work would have to continue minus a number of crucial stars.
This is disastrous for Hollywood and, in the weeks ahead, it will likely be easier to tell you what hasn't been delayed than what has. We'd also advise bracing yourselves for what could be a very quiet second half of 2024 in terms of new film and television content.
Keep checking back here for updates.