LOS ANGELES — Major studios in the movie capital suspended several high-profile projects this week after more than 160,000 actors represented by the SAG-AFTRA union went on strike for the first time since 1980.
The assembly line of Hollywood movies and TV shows was already slowing down as thousands of screenwriters have been on the picket line since early May. But the actors’ strike means that many film productions based on full scripts will now shut down as well.
The strike also prevents the actors from participating in promotional campaigns. Red carpet festivities at the upcoming US premiere of Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” have been canceled, for example, according to a Universal Pictures spokesperson. (NBC News and Universal Pictures are units of NBCUniversal.)
NBC News has confirmed that further filming will be suspended until the actors reach an agreement with a trade association representing major studios and streamers. (The group represents NBCUniversal’s parent company, Comcast.)
Gladiator 2 (Paramount Pictures)
Ridley Scott’s sequel to his 2000 Oscar-winning historical epic has been “shocked” by the strike, according to a source familiar with the production. The film, which was scheduled to be released in November 2024, began shooting last month in places including Malta and Morocco, according to IMDb. The cast includes Paul Mescal (“Aftersun”), Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington.
“Juror #2” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Rumored to be his last directorial effort, Clint Eastwood’s latest thriller stars Nicholas Hoult as a juror in a murder trial who discovers he may be responsible for the victim’s death. “Juror 2” was scheduled to film in Georgia, a major hub for Hollywood film productions, but filming is on hold, according to a family source. The film does not have an official release date.
“Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part Two” (Paramount Pictures)
Tom Cruise is expected to conquer the international box office this weekend with “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.” But the strike will delay shooting on the movie’s sequel, which was supposed to resume shooting after Cruise and his co-stars finished promoting the current installment of the spy franchise, according to a source familiar with the production.
Untitled F1 drama (Apple TV+)
“Top Gun: Maverick” director Joseph Kosinski was preparing to film a Formula One-themed racing drama starring Brad Pitt. But “all filming is canceled for now,” according to a source close to the production. “Brad really had fun,” the source told NBC News, “but he’s definitely a very loyal union member.” The film does not have an official release date.
This list was compiled by our sister network NBC News and will be updated.
