SHERMAN OAKS, Calif. — The nearly five-month impasse between the Writers Guild of America and Hollywood’s major studios could be resolved as soon as this weekend, several media outlets reported Saturday.
The WGA has been on strike since May 2. Sources told Variety and The Hollywood Reporter that both parties are “very close” to reaching a final compromise. Representatives for the studios continue to work on hammering out language regarding regulations on artificial intelligence, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The WGA and representatives with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers spent Saturday negotiating for the fourth consecutive day, CNN reported.
AMPTP, WGA Negotiations in Home Stretch as Lawyers Gather to Hammer Out Language https://t.co/vqIwSz63nC
— Variety (@Variety) September 23, 2023
Another sticking point in the 145-day strike has been the WGA’s minimum basic agreement, such as a formula for a minimum staff guarantee for episodic TV and a “success-based” residual from subscription platforms that would be earmarked for the writers’ pension and health funds, Variety reported.
The details surrounding AI have been one of the final hurdles in reaching an agreement, several sources told Variety.
According to CNN, the studio heads -- Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav, Disney chief Bob Iger, Netflix co-chief Ted Sarandos, and NBCUniversal studio chairman Donna Langley -- were no longer in the room with negotiators on Saturday afternoon, according to a source.
The source told the cable news network that the studio heads remained engaged despite not being in the negotiating room on Saturday, signaling that nearly all of the major issues have been resolved.
The studio heads were part of direct talks at the AMPTP’s headquarters on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“The intention was always to wrap this up by the weekend,” Deadline reported, citing an anonymous source. “That was the desire on both sides of the table.”
If the language of the deal is done and the contract is ratified by the membership, the next step for the AMPTP is to make a deal with the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, according to Deadline.
The SAG-AFTRA work stoppage began on July 14, Variety reported.
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