SAG Strike Explained: 3 Major Consequences for Movie, TV & Comic-Con

The contract between the Screen Actors Guild — American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) expires on June 30, and representatives from both sides have been unable to reach an agreement regarding higher payouts and increased residuals for the new contract.

While the deadline for negotiations has been pushed back to July 7 (and possibly further), production companies and the film and TV industry as a whole are at great risk, with many actors already expressing their willingness to strike.

If the SAG strike does break, it will be a huge problem for the industry for years to come, aggravating the situation caused by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike, which has been going on since May 2. So what are the possible consequences for the entertainment industry?

Film

If the SAG strike becomes a reality, the film industry will suffer the most. Film production is a lengthy process, and with many projects already stalled by the lack of writers, these and the other productions may be completely shut down for an indefinite period of time if the actors hit the picket lines.

Speaking of projects affected by the potential strike, Q4 could be incredibly thin on releases. For example, production on the sequel to Ridley Scott's Gladiator, which didn't start shooting until June, will be suspended. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two and Venom 3 could also be delayed due to the strikes.

Production companies now seem to be taking precautions against the new possible strike. In particular, Disney has pushed back the production of the Avengers sequels to 2026 and 2027, while Sony has decided to accelerate the filming of Bad Boys 4 and Ghostbusters: Afterlife, aiming to wrap up the projects as soon as possible.

Depending on the decisions taken by the SAG-AFTRA members, indie productions can both benefit or suffer as a result of the strike. In theory, non-corporate indie filmmakers can continue working with union members, so it's quite possible we'll see some fascinating auteur projects from little-known directors starring A-listers.

The same applies to the international market. On the one hand, foreign producers could make use of the SAG strike, filling the niche left vacant by the American companies. On the other hand, foreign actors may also choose to join the strike in solidarity with their American colleagues.

Television

The possible SAG strike will surely harm many popular series and reality shows, which have already been affected by the ongoing WGA strike. For example, shows like Stranger Things, Yellowjackets, Severance, and American Horror Story have all been suspended indefinitely, and more projects may fall victim to the new strike.

While there are many series that continue production amid the WGA strike because their scripts had already been finished, they will have to cease filming if the cast members decide to join the writers on the picket lines. The prognosis for the fall broadcasting season doesn't look encouraging, as shows like House of the Dragon and Andor will have to be suspended without the actors onboard.

In addition, British shows like Doctor Who and Industry will also suffer without the American actors involved in them. On top of that, since the SAG-AFTRA also includes TV show hosts, broadcast journalists, and stunt performers, the entire television industry will experience no small crisis.

On the contrary, the streaming services that own the rights to foreign shows, most notably Netflix, will clearly benefit.

Ceremonies and conventions

First of all, Comic-Con is scheduled for July 21–23 in San Diego, and if it's not rescheduled, many panels may be empty due to the WGA/SAG strike. It's already clear that the creators of shows under the auspices of Sony, Disney, and Netflix will not be attending Comic-Con, showing solidarity for the striking writers.

The representatives of Warner Bros. and Paramount, whose Blue Beetle and Teenage Mutant Ninja are due for release this summer, will likely attend the event, but there won't be any cast members present if the SAG strike breaks out.

In addition, the question remains whether the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards will be held in September. As some members of the Television Academy are also members of SAG, more than half of the guests may not attend the ceremony if the strike begins.

While it's impossible to predict how events will unfold, it looks like media giants and AMPTP members aren't sure how to approach the problem and prevent the second strike from happening before the issues go out of hand. As viewers and fans, we fully support the industry professionals and hope that the issues are resolved soon, to the satisfaction of all parties.