It’s been two months since US actors joined industrial action against Hollywood’s biggest production houses.

On July 14, SAG-AFTRA — the union that represents actors — joined the Writers Guild of America (WGA) in strike, demanding better conditions from AMPTP — the association that represents TV and film production companies.

The WGA has been on strike for 135 days, beginning on May 2.

The strike means that any member of SAG-AFTRA or the WGA is not allowed to work on or promote any upcoming productions.

This has led to a massive disruption in film and television release schedules for 2023 and beyond.

Here’s what you need to know.

What films have been affected by the strikes?

Which TV shows have been affected by the strikes?

What are SAG-AFTRA and the WGA asking for?

The two unions are asking for a number of things to be updated in their new agreement with production houses.

But one of the main sticking points has got to do with the rise of streaming platforms.

Unlike broadcast television where actors and writers would receive residuals if their work was re-aired, streaming services like Netflix and Amazon pay almost zero residuals.

For example, actor Kimiko Glen, who was on multiple seasons of Orange Is The New Black, recently shared her paltry $US27.30 residue check.

The union is demanding increases to base pay and residuals, arguing compensation over the past decade had been “severely eroded by the rise of the streaming ecosystem”.

The rise of generative AI is another major concern, with actors worried about how their voice and likeness could be used without payment, or their consent.

Some fear AI will replace both background extras and post-production jobs, such as re-recording dialogue, that actors would normally be paid for.

Where are negotiations at now?

Unfortunately, not much progress has been made.

This is largely because there’s been a stalemate of negotiation between the two parties.

In an update shared on September 9, the WGA chastised the AMPTP for only bringing one offer to the table back on August 11 — an offer that the WGA says doesn’t go far enough.

The WGA says it submitted its counteroffer on August 15 but its been radio silence from the AMPTP since then.

“The current standstill is not a sign of the companies’ power, but of AMPTP paralysis,” the update says.

SAG-AFTRA has facilitated some interim agreements that have allowed a number of independent productions to continue work despite the strike.

Other agreements allowed for productions to promote their films under the strike, such as Michael Mann’s Ferrari, which has its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival this month.

Daytime talk shows cross picket lines

Drew Barrymore shocked the Hollywood community this week when she announced that her daytime talk show would continue production despite the strike and without its WGA writers.

Barrymore said in an Instagram post that the show was “in compliance with not discussing or promoting film and television that is struck of any kind”.

Striking union members, including three of the show’s former co-head writers, picketed the show’s Monday taping, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

New York student Dominic Turiczek, said he was kicked out of the taping by Barrymore’s crew after taking and wearing a solidarity button from the WGA. 

Which films have been affected by the strikes?

Here are the films that have had their release dates pushed back due to the strikes.

Some films — like Dune: Part II — are finished, while others — like Avatar 3 — are still in production but their release dates had previously been announced.

A number of films were in production or pre-production when the strikes began and as such have not been able to continue or start work.

These titles include:

• Blade
• Beetlejuice 2
• Deadpool 3
• Fantastic Four
• Gladiator 2
• Lilo & Stitch (live action)
• Minecraft
• Mission Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two
• Mortal Kombat 2
• Superman: Legacy
• Tron: Ares
• Twisters
• Bad Boys sequel
• Fast X sequel 
• Ocean’s Eleven prequel
• Scream 7
• Transformers sequel 
• Venom sequel
• Wicked
• Wolves

Which TV shows have been affected by the strikes?

While the box office is aching over the writers and actors strike, television has been hit hard as well.

The TV shows affected by the strikes fall into three categories; writing room shuttered, production shut down or premiere delayed.

Shows that currently have a shuttered writing room include:

• Abbott Elementary (season 3)
• Big Mouth (Season 8)
• Cobra Kai (Season 6)
• Yellowjackets (Season 3)
• Outlander (Season 8)
• Good Omens (Season 3)
• The Handmaid’s Tale (Season 6)
• A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight (Game Of Thrones spin off)

Shows that have had production delayed or suspended include:

• 1923 (Season 2)
• Alien
• Andor (Season 2)
• Billions (Season 7)
• The Chi (Season 6)
• Chucky (Season 3)
• Daredevil: Born Again
• The Dark Tower
• Emily In Paris (Season 4)
• Hacks (Season 3)
• The Last Of Us (Season 2)
• Loot (Season 2)
• The Mandalorian (Season 4)
• One Piece (Season 2)
• Outer Banks (Season 4)
• The Penguin
• Severance (Season 2)
• Shrinking (Season 2)
• Silo (Season 2)
• Stranger Things (Season 5)
• That ’90s Show (Season 2)
• You (Season 5)
• The White Lotus (Season 3) [Release date also shifted to 2024]

Shows that have their premieres delayed include:

• The Boys (Season 4)
• Euphoria (Season 3)
• Fargo (Season 5)
• Law & Order (Season 23)
• Poker Face (Season 2)
• True Detective (Season 4)
• Wednesday (Season 2)
• Young Sheldon (Season 7)

There are also three known shows that were ordered for additional seasons but were cancelled in part due to the strikes.

• A League Of Their Own: The series based on the 1992 comedy had a second season ordered in April 2023. Amazon Prime, who produced the show, pointed towards the strikes as the reason for the cancellation. Series creator Abbi Jacobson called the move “cowardly” in a lengthy Instagram post.

• The Peripheral: Another Amazon Prime production, this Chloë Grace Moretz-led sci-fi series has its second season renewal rescinded in mid-August.
• Metropolis: This television version of this 1927 sci-fi classic was headed for Apple TV. Deadline confirmed in June that the series had been scrapped due to the strikes and rising production costs.