When will America’s writers strike end? For the past 100 days or so, it’s a question that a plethora of Hollywood studios have been asking. However, since these studios only began negotiations in earnest a few days ago, this writers strike has plenty of steam.
In early 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) went to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) with a number of requests. The AMPTP is an organisation that represents the interests of all the major studios.
But what did the WGA ask for? Well, they wanted its members to receive better compensation packages and streaming service residuals.
On May 2, AMPTP denied this request, and the WGA moved to strike. According to inside sources, some AMPTP members thought that this strike wouldn’t be much of a threat. They thought the writers would concede by October.
However, the situation changed when the Screen Actors Guild, and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, also went on strike. These two strikes combined to bring Hollywood to a standstill.
So, on August 11, the AMPTP gave the WGA a counteroffer. The WGA then evaluated this offer and returned with a response.
Several sources have claimed that the WGA is now willing to compromise on some minor points. For instance, the WGA wants there to be a minimum number of writers in each writers’ room, but they’re happy for this number to go from six down to five.
Yet, when it comes to the major points, the WGA hasn’t budged. They still want better streaming service residuals.
The Writers Strike: What Happens Next
Now, while the current situation is tense, that doesn’t mean that all negotiation hopes have been lost. A number of studio executives have recently become motivated to get a deal across the line. This includes the likes of Disney’s Bob Iger and Universal’s Donna Langley. Such executives are now likely concerned about their 2024 release schedule.
What’s more, these executives might also concede on a few minor disagreements. Such an act could create some positive momentum when discussing the larger sticking points.
However, it would be foolish to think that the AMPTP could break the writers strike’s resolve. When will the writers strike end? We don’t know, but if the AMPTP is still hoping that the writers would give up in October, they’ve got another think coming.
This sentiment is currently being expressed by the likes of Bryan Behar. Bryan is a writer that has worked on the likes of Fuller House and Wilfred.
“Day 106. At Fox Studios,” wrote Bryan in a 16 August statement. “My beard is gone. So is a lot of my enthusiasm.”
“But what hasn’t gone away is my RESOLVE. And it won’t. Not until the AMPTP steps up to make a fair deal.”
Want more entertainment news? Click here to read all our content, and go through the stories below:
- Where Are All the Great Union Films?
- Hollywood on Pause — The SAG Strike Explained
- The 2007 Writers Strike Changed Everything. Will the 2023 One Do the Same?
- The Writers Strike Is Now Over 100 Days Old — Here’s Where Everyone Stands
- The 75th Emmys Have Been Pushed Back Into the Ether — Here’s Why
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