Productions including Deadpool 3, Gladiator 2 and Venom 3 are expected to resume filming soon following the end of the 118-day actors strike.
SAG-AFTRA, the actors union, has reached a tentative agreement on a three-year deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture Television Producers (AMPTP) after weeks of negotiations.
The union said the strike officially came to an end today at 12.01am PT (8.01am GMT).
According to reports, some films that had to shut down production due to the strike are expected to resume in the coming days, with work set to begin again at numerous studios in the UK and around Europe.
“In a unanimous vote this afternoon, The SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatrical Committee approved a tentative agreement with the AMPTP bringing an end to the 118 day strike,” the union said in a statement.
In its own statement, AMPTP said: “This tentative agreement represents a new paradigm. It gives SAG-AFTRA the biggest contract-on-contract gains in the history of the union, including the largest increase in minimum wages in the last 40 years; a brand new residual for streaming programmes; extensive consent and compensation protections in the use of artificial intelligence; and sizable contract increases on items across the board,” it noted in a statement.
The deal is still to be ratified by the union’s board and members.
Film and TV production around the world ground to a halt over the summer when the Writers Guild of America downed tools on 1st May, before finally agreeing a deal with AMPTP on 24th September. SAG-AFTRA began its strike in mid-July.
The post production and visual effects sector has also been hit by the strike, with many companies laying off staff due to work. Rental companies and technology manufacturers have also been impacted by the six month-long stoppage in production.
In response to the news, Philippa Childs, head of UK film and TV union Bectu, said:
“We congratulate our SAG-AFTRA colleagues on their determination in holding out for a deal that meets their objectives. We wholeheartedly welcome this news after what has been an incredibly difficult period for our members, and the whole UK film and TV industry.
“I want to pay tribute to Bectu members for weathering this unprecedented time and showing solidarity to their fellow trade unionists in the US. It cannot be understated how much UK film and TV workers have suffered at the hands of the AMPTP’s failure to reach an acceptable agreement with SAG-AFTRA. This news will come as a huge relief and provide some hope after months and months of instability.
“Our members are highly skilled, talented professionals and the backbone of our film and TV sector, and we look forward to them getting back to work as soon as possible.”
