After almost four months
End of the strike in Hollywood: actors and studios reach an agreement – at least for the time being
The uprising in Hollywood was historic – for the first time in more than 60 years, actors and writers went on strike side by side
© Gene Blevins/ / Picture Alliance
Almost nothing has happened in Hollywood in the last few months. The actors rehearsed a rebellion against the use of AI and went on strike for better pay. Now there is an agreement.
The approximately 160,000 actors and actresses in the USA had been on strike since July 14th. The actors demanded, among other things, better remuneration and the regulation of the use of artificial intelligence in the industry. The screenwriters had also been on strike since the beginning of May, but reached an agreement with the studios in early October. It was the first time in more than 60 years that writers and actors had struck at the same time.
If union members approve the agreement, the entire contract is expected to be made public on Friday. If the actors then return to work, it would end one of the longest and largest work stoppages in Hollywood history.
Many blockbusters in Hollywood have been put on hold
The strike shut down production across the industry for nearly four months and raised existential questions about the future of the entertainment industry. Numerous television and film productions were interrupted or canceled. Although many reality shows and some independent projects were able to continue production, major studios were forced to postpone numerous blockbusters, including “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse,” “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” “Dune: Part Two” and “Gladiator 2” as well as series hits such as “Euphoria” and “Stranger Things”.
The unions particularly demanded better compensation when films or series are streamed on platforms such as Netflix, Apple and Amazon. Another central topic was the use of AI. Writers were worried that studios would replace them with technology. Actors feared that their likeness would be digitized and simulated without compensation or consent.
Streaming tips
Drugs, sex, eating disorders: The best coming-of-age series on Netflix and Co.
New collective agreement for authors meets with great approval
At the beginning of October, writers in Hollywood put an end to their nearly five-month-long strike. With an overwhelming majority of 99 percent, the screenwriters accepted the new collective agreement with the major film studios. This also contains wage increases and regulations for the use of AI as well as higher subsidies for old age and health care.