A tentative deal has been reached in the nearly 150-day strike by Hollywood screenwriters that ground film and TV productions to halt, the Writers Guild of America and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers announced in a joint statement Sunday.
The tentative agreement was reached after negotiations between striking writers and studios resumed Sept. 20. The talks were the first in about a month between the two sides, raising optimism that an end was in sight to pickets that brought film and television productions to a stop in Hollywood.
The two sides were divided on issues of pay, the size of writing staffs on shows and the use of artificial intelligence in how scripts are created.
The late-September meetings between the WGA and leaders of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers were the first since mid-August. The two sides issued a joint statement indicating talks will resume, a positive sign after negotiations stalled for about a month.
“Certainly, it’s significant that there was a joint press release,” said Jonathan Handel, an entertainment lawyer. “These are people who have been at each other’s throats in the past.”
CNBC, citing sources, reported they hope to finalize a deal soon, and that if a deal wasn’t reached this time around, the strike could last through the end of the year.
The strike, which began May 2, brought production on several high-profile shows and films, including Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” Disney and Marvel’s “Blade,” and Paramount’s “Evil,” to a stop.
Actors, who joined the writers on strike in July, have their own issues but there have been no discussions about resuming negotiations with their union yet.
Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC. NBCUniversal is a member of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
Source: NBC Los Angeles