Production on Cipher, an upcoming indie thriller starring former Empire lead Terrence Howard and Joel David Moore, has come to a halt as crew members began picketing this week in Louisville, Kentucky, citing the production’s refusal to recognize IATSE as their bargaining representative.
According to a union-side source, the strike began Wednesday after the production ignored a request to negotiate a union contract. IATSE members are pushing for their work on Cipher to count toward the union’s qualifying days for health and pension benefits — a crucial issue for freelance crew.
Despite the walkout, filming has continued in some capacity with a skeleton crew, as producers reportedly seek replacements for the original 35- to 40-person team.
Directed by Tony Giglio (Doom: Annihilation), Cipher has a reported budget of $3 million and is backed by a $1 million tax credit through Kentucky’s state film incentive. Filming has been taking place across Adair, Fayette, Russell, and Woodford counties since May 12.
Though Cipher is currently working under SAG-AFTRA and DGA contracts, IATSE’s absence from the negotiation table has triggered tensions that echo a recent May 23rd strike on a Will Smith music video in Los Angeles — a dispute that was resolved the same day with a signed IATSE agreement.
The standoff highlights a growing trend of labor disputes on indie sets as workers demand fair treatment and benefits — regardless of budget size or location. With high-profile stars attached and a tax rebate in play, the outcome of Cipher’s strike could set a new precedent for below-the-line crews fighting for representation on mid-budget productions.
Howard, no stranger to production drama, rose to household fame for his role as Lucious Lyon on FOX’s Empire, a hit series that filmed in Chicago and helped spark a wave of TV and film production in the city. That show became a cultural juggernaut, and Howard’s complicated off-screen relationship with studios and industry contracts has often mirrored the fierce power dynamics he portrayed on screen.
Now, with Cipher caught in the crosshairs of a labor battle, Howard once again finds himself at the center of a production facing real-world tension behind the camera.
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