Hollywood in Crisis
In early May 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike after unsuccessful negotiations with the main North American studios. They demanded higher salaries, improved working conditions, and a legal framework for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the creative process. This strike has now gone on for almost 80 days, with the studios making proposals that the WGA considers unfair.
In mid-July, SAG-AFTRA, the majority union for American actors and actresses, joined the strike. Their grievances mirror those of the scriptwriters, including a wage increase and regulation of AI use. The consequences for the industry are immense – Hollywood is at a standstill. The 160,000 union members, unable to participate in filming or promotional activities, will greatly impact the release schedule and potentially harm Hollywood.
If the strike continues for several consecutive months, SVOD services like Netflix, HBO, Disney, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple TV+ will have to forgo North American productions. This will force the film industry to quickly reassess its strategies. Films slated for release in August-September 2023 will lack their star power to attract audiences to theaters. Many other films in production may consider postponing their release dates, creating a backlog in the 2023-2024 calendar and a significant gap in the following years, particularly 2024-2025.
Dune, Second Part Postponed?
Fans of Paul Atréides, played by Timothée Chalamet, need not worry too much. The next film directed by Denis Villeneuve, Dune 2, is not yet affected by the wave of postponements caused by the strikes. However, it seems unlikely that Warner Bros. Pictures would release a project that cost a staggering $122 million (excluding marketing costs) without the ability to adequately promote it with the stars from the first Dune film. Dune, Part Two is scheduled to be released on November 3, 2023, and a third installment is already in the works, based on the second novel of the science fiction saga written by Frank Herbert, The Messiah of Dune.
