Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
LOS ANGELES — Missed your favorite actors? After nearly four months of striking, they're coming back.
Wednesday's deal between striking actors and studios and streaming services won't immediately restore filming to its full swing. That will take months.
But the tentative agreement — which both sides say includes extraordinary provisions — means that more than six months of labor strife in the film and television industries is drawing to a close. Soon, tens of thousands of entertainment sector workers could get back to work. And popular franchises, like "Deadpool," "Abbott Elementary" and "The Last of Us," will be a step closer to returning to screens.
Hollywood loves a happy ending. The actors strike deal might provide that — though there's still the chance of strike sequels in the months ahead.
What happens next
Picket lines are suspended and the only rallies on the horizon are the celebratory ones that the actors union is promising.
There are a couple of steps that need to happen before the deal becomes official. On Friday, the national board of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists was set to review the agreement and could approve it. Then, the agreement's details would be released and the guild's full membership will vote on it.
But when striking screenwriters — who started picketing May 2 — reached their deal in September, their guild allowed writing work to resume before full ratification of the contract was complete.
While it's possible those votes scuttle the deal, the union's negotiating committee unanimously approved the deal and called off picketing.
The exact terms of the deal won't be released until later this week, but a few highlights are known.
'I'm certainly very proud of it'
The union says the deal is worth more than $1 billion and they've "achieved a deal of extraordinary scope" that includes compensation increases, consent protections for use of artificial intelligence and actors' likenesses and includes a new "streaming participation bonus."
The negotiation arm of the studios also says the deal includes historic provisions. The Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers said Wednesday the "tentative agreement represents a new paradigm."
It said the companies are giving "SAG-AFTRA the biggest contract-on-contract gains in the history of the union, including the largest increase in minimum wages in the last forty years; a brand new residual for streaming programs; extensive consent and compensation protections in the use of artificial intelligence; and sizable contract increases on items across the board."
Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA's executive director and chief negotiator, told the Associated Press the gains made the long strike worth it.
"It's an agreement that our members can be proud of. I'm certainly very proud of it," Crabtree-Ireland told the Associated Press in an interview.
The strike put an immediate stop to "Deadpool 3" with Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, as well as Ridley Scott's "Gladiator" sequel. Those are likely among the first films that will resume production.
Television moves faster than movies, which still face a lengthy editing and promotional process once filming ends.
In recent weeks, more shows and movies announced delays — Kevin Costner's final episodes of "Yellowstone" won't air until next November and the next "Mission: Impossible" film also delayed its release.
Awards season
Actors, lots more actors, will be talking about their work again. Splashy premieres will resume with their stars, as well.
Strike rules forbid actors from promoting work done for the major studios, which kept Leonardo DiCaprio, Brie Larson and many other actors from doing interviews.
But as Hollywood heads into its awards season, expect to see more glamorous red carpet shots and interviews with stars.
One of the dual strikes' ripple effects was to push the Emmy Awards from September into January. It'll now join the Grammys, the Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Oscars in Hollywood's traditional awards season. Those shows will all air between Jan. 15 and March 10.
Plans for the Emmys, and the SAG Awards, which will appear on Netflix, were in jeopardy as the strike got closer to 2024.
Still in limbo is the Golden Globe Awards, which is trying to reinvent itself after years of scandal, but doesn't yet have a U.S. broadcast partner.
Another actors strike — this one by video game performers — is possible. Negotiations for that contract are ongoing, but a strike has been authorized.
Actors who work on video games range from voice performers to stunt performers. They, too, have expressed concerns about the use of artificial intelligence in their industry.
