Hollywood writers & studios reach tentative agreement to end almost 5-month-long strike.

Washington DC [US], September 25, 2023: Nearly five months after Hollywood screenwriters went on strike, a tentative agreement has been reached to end the standoff that has devastated the television and film industries.

Swati Bhat

According to Deadline, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) inked a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), a labor group representing studios and streaming services, on Sunday.

The writers' strike began on May 2 of this year, when 11,500 WGA members went on strike when their contract ended. Among the concerns they were protesting were increasing pay, the usage of AI in script composition, and the size of reduced writing staff connected to streaming show performance. "The WGA and the AMPTPT have reached a tentative agreement," the two unions declared in a joint statement late Sunday night.

“We have reached a tentative agreement on a new 2023 MBA, which is to say an agreement in principle on all deal points, subject to drafting final contract language,” the WGA told its members in a release, which the US-based media outlet Deadline said came after five days of long negotiations.

The agreement was reached after five days of negotiating with union officials and four top media CEOs, which began on September 20 and lasted over the weekend. The WGA's tentative deal has not been made public, but the organisation will announce it ahead of membership ratification votes. The WGA negotiating committee will vote on "whether to recommend the agreement and send it on to the WGAW Board and WGAE Council for approval" in votes tentatively slated for Tuesday, the guild stated on Sunday, according to Deadline.

Meanwhile, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), a labor union that has been on strike against the film and television industries since July of this year, has congratulated the WGA for "getting over the biggest hurdles with AMPTP." "After 146 days of incredible strength, resiliency, and solidarity on the picket lines, SAG-AFTRA congratulates the WGA on reaching a tentative agreement with the AMPTP." While we await the WGA and AMPTP's tentative agreement, we are dedicated to attaining the required terms for our members," Variety quoted a statement as saying.

#thecommuniquenews #thecommunique #tcn #tc #Entertainment #hollywood

The SAG-AFTRA strike causes the production of "Deadpool 3" to stop.

Filming on "Deadpool 3" has been halted as the SAG-AFTRA strike begins, with actors joining WGA members on the picket lines. One of the first significant productions to be hit by the impending strike is the Marvel sequel.

Pritish Bagdi

Only a few days prior to the announcement of the production halt, "Deadpool 3" gave viewers their first glimpse of the set by publishing a snapshot of its stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman dressed as Deadpool and Wolverine, respectively. Also recently announced was Jennifer Garner's participation in the movie as Elektra. She previously played the character in the 2003 blockbuster "Daredevil" and the 2005 spinoff movie "Elektra."

Reynolds and "Free Guy" director Shawn Levy collaborate once more on "Deadpool 3". The movie marks the Walt Disney Company's first release in a new series following the studio's 2019 acquisition of 21st Century Fox. The May 3, 2024, theatrical release date for the threequel has been set as a goalpost, but it is currently in doubt as a result of the production freeze.

Television shows like "Saturday Night Live" on NBC and late-night talk shows were among the first to stop airing after the WGA adopted a strike order in May. Through the writers' strike, "Deadpool 3" was able to continue production in recent weeks. The unexpected halt in production portends the impending industry-wide stagnation brought on by screen actors on picket lines.

Around 160,000 performers, including actors, announcers, hosts, DJs, stunt performers, and broadcast journalists, are covered by the SAG-AFTRA union, and they are all fighting for better pay and working conditions in the ever-evolving Hollywood landscape that streaming services and artificial intelligence have altered. After a 12-day extension period, SAG negotiations came to a close on July 12 at midnight PT. Contracts were originally due to expire on June 30.

What is SAG-AFTRA strike?

The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has gone on strike after talks with studios broke down. SAG-AFTRA includes 160,000 actors and this marks their first industry-wide shutdown in over 60 years.

#thecommunique #tcn #tc #entertainment #Deadpool #Hollywood #SAG #AFTRA

Swarovski Introduces a New Crystal Collection of Marvel Superheros.

Swarovski created eight pieces of jewelry, five collections of crystal figurines, and a pack of Marvel Super Heroes stickers.

Swati Bhat

Swarovski Crystal Marvel Collection

Marvel and Swarovski have collaborated to create a new jewelry and home collection inspired by heroism and self-discovery. Each piece is inspired by a well-known Marvel comic book character and is handcrafted with exceptional craftsmanship and attention to detail. Swarovski's master cutting captures each Super Hero's signature look with amazing realism from every aspect.

This is Swarovski's first collaboration with Marvel, and it has provided Swarovski Creative Director Giovanna Engelbert with the opportunity to explore the virtues of power, heroism, and responsibility through the exhilarating medium of Swarovski Crystals. This cooperation truly embraces the power and beauty of crystal in new and unexpected ways, drawing on Marvel's 84-year heritage of inspiring people all around the world to discover the hero within themselves.

Peter Widmann, Head of B2B, collaboration & licensing at Swarovski,communiqué, “Swarovski is proud to collaborate with Marvel to unite two beloved brands for an iconic jewelry and home collection. Both brands have a rich heritage, and long-standing legacy, and are loved by customers all around the world - making this the perfect collaboration.”

Swarovski has created eight jewelry pieces, five crystal figurine collectibles, and a set of stickers inspired by Marvel Super Heroes: Spider-Man, Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Iron Man, and the Hulk. Each radiant piece is a statement of energy and goodness designed to unleash your inner Super Hero.

SPIDER-MAN

Spider-Man’s iconic mask is featured in bracelet and pendant forms with artfully arranged red and black precision-cut crystal pavé. Two Spider-Man crystal figurine collectibles in blue and red enter the collection, with one featuring 955 facets, showing the Super Hero in a web-slinging pose, and another made from 36,500 glittering crystals that capture Spider-Man in an iconic upside-down pose on a New York City streetlamp. This limited-edition piece takes 243 hours to complete.

BLACK PANTHER

In tribute to the King of Wakanda, an array of crystallized Black Panther jewelry evokes the Wakandan spirit of innovation, including a vibrant motif ring, a life-like 3D pendant set on a long chain, and a mask-inspired pendant adorned in purple crystals. A sleek Black Panther crystal figurine collectible wears his legendary vibranium suit in a design that is expertly crafted from 649 facets.

CAPTAIN MARVEL

Female empowerment is celebrated through a dazzling multicolored ring depicting Captain Marvel’s iconic emblem of cosmic power, courage, and light. Ready for take-off, Captain Marvel is depicted as a limited-edition crystal figurine collectible made from 10,000 crystals.

IRON MAN

A versatile jewelry piece that doubles as a 3D pendant and brooch channels Iron Man’s inspiring energy, while an Iron Man crystal figurine collectible, cut with 723 facets, brings the character to life at a level of innovative artistry that Tony Stark would be proud of.

HULK

The Hulk smashes into the collection with a fiery fist of green crystals set on a gold-tone plated bracelet, while the Hulk crystal figurine collectible reveals the exacting details of the character’s signature muscles and awesome strength, expertly cut from 578 facets.

#thecommunique #tcn #tc #Swarovski #Luxe #Marvel #Hollywood #lifestyle