Both SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) and the studios are considering extending negotiations beyond the expiration of their current contract, which is set to expire on June 30 at midnight PT. The extension, if agreed upon, could run until July 7, according to Deadline which broke the story.
The decision to extend negotiations is seen as a positive development in the ongoing discussions between SAG-AFTRA and the studios, given the high stakes involved. On Sunday, SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher and national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland called the ongoing talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) “extremely productive.”
Tuesday, a coalition of high-profile actors has sent a pointed letter to the leadership (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) expressing their readiness to strike in order to secure a “transformative deal.” The release of a letter signed by over 1,000 high-profile actors, including union president Fran Drescher, has added complexity to the talks.
Deadline suggests that the purpose of the possible extension is to allow everyone involved to navigate the upcoming July 4th holiday, as this weekend is extended due to the holiday falling on a Tuesday. Extending negotiations beyond the contract deadline is not uncommon, as has happened in previous negotiations in 2014 and 2017.
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The ongoing strike by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) has already resulted in a slowdown in feature and TV production. If actors were to go on strike as well, it would bring all shoots to a standstill worldwide. Some feature productions, such as Beetlejuice 2, Bad Boys 4, and Minecraft, are reportedly racing to complete filming before a potential actors’ strike takes effect. TV titan, Ryan Murphy, has continued to keep American Horror Story Season 12, American Horror Stories in production.
The AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers), which represents the studios, did not provide any comment on the possible extension due to the media blackout during negotiations. SAG-AFTRA has also not responded to requests for comment.
Although an extension may alleviate some pressure, the possibility of a strike remains on the table until final talks break down. Until then, negotiations will continue between SAG-AFTRA and the studios.
