The recent SAG-AFTRA strike, which put a halt to numerous Hollywood productions, has finally concluded, leading to a major push by studios to salvage their 2024 tentpole releases. The strike’s resolution has set off a race against time to resume productions and reorganize release schedules that were thrown into disarray.
Key Takeaways:
- The actors’ strike has been resolved, allowing halted productions to resume.
- Major releases affected include “Deadpool 3,” “Venom 3,” “Twisters,” and “Gladiator 2.”
- Studios had to negotiate under high pressure to save the 2024 summer release calendar.
- The strike, alongside the preceding writers’ strike, has caused significant schedule disruptions.
- Sony has delayed “Venom 3” to November 2024, moving it out of the summer slot.
- Disney and other studios have had to push back several major titles by months or even a year.
- The box office suffered a notable drop due to the lack of new releases during the strike.
- The industry is now facing a backlog of projects and strained resources, including VFX houses.
Industry on the Move
Studios are now in overdrive to get their tentpoles ready for summer 2024. The end of the strike saw immediate action, with some productions reportedly resuming as early as Thursday. The high-stakes negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the studios underscored the urgency of the situation, with studios warning of catastrophic impacts on schedules if a deal wasn’t reached.
Shifting Schedules
The strike has forced studios to rethink their strategies. Sony’s “Venom 3” has been pushed from a July to a November release, while Disney has delayed “Snow White” and “Elio” by over a year. Paramount has also moved the next “Mission: Impossible” installment to 2025, and “A Quiet Place: Day One” has been delayed to June 2024.
Box Office Blues
The strike’s impact on the box office was immediate and severe, with one of the lowest revenue weekends of the year recorded during the strike. This downturn is expected to continue into the first quarter of 2024, despite the strike’s resolution.
The Road Ahead
With the strike over, studios face the challenge of completing their tentpoles for next summer and beyond. This will require a Herculean effort due to the backlog of projects and the strain on resources such as sound stages, crews, and visual effects houses.
Major Titles in the Balance
- “Deadpool 3” (Disney/Marvel): Set for a May 2024 release, it may swap dates with “Captain America: Brave New World” to maintain a summer release.
- “Furiosa” (Warner Bros.): Expected to be ready for its May 2024 release and a potential Cannes Film Festival showing.
- “Twisters” (Universal): Slated for a July 2024 release, it should have enough time to finish shooting and post-production.
- “Venom 3” (Sony): Now scheduled for November 2024, it was delayed to ensure completion.
- “Gladiator 2” (Paramount): With filming halfway done, it’s set for a November 2024 release.
- “Wicked 1 and 2” (Universal): Expected to release on schedule in November 2024 and 2025.
- “Mission: Impossible 8” (Paramount): Delayed to May 2025, allowing for additional production time.
The industry is now navigating the aftermath of the strike, with the hope of returning to a semblance of normalcy and maintaining the momentum of the box office recovery post-pandemic.
