Actors Strike: Global Biz Braces for Impact as ‘Gladiator 2,’ ‘Mortal Kombat 2’ Prepare to Stop Filming

The BFI has found a new way to give indies a helping hand.

Venice Film Festival artistic director Alberto Barbera is refusing to row back on his decision to invite controversial movie-biz bigwigs Roman Polanski, Woody Allen and Luc Besson to the late summer event, which will take place despite the potential disruption by the ongoing SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. “Luc Besson has been recently fully cleared of any accusations. Woody Allen went under legal scrutiny twice at the end of the ’90s and was absolved,” Barbera said in a new interview with Variety.

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson made an “historic” donation to contribute financial support to the ongoing Hollywood actors’ strike this month.Earlier this month, negotiations broke down between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and the US actors’ union SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists), with talks relating to base pay, residuals and the use of artificial intelligence in the industry.On July 13 – the day that the strike was declared – SAG-AFTRA Foundation president Courtney B. Vance and executive director Cyd Wilson wrote a letter to 2,700 of the union’s highest-paid actors to highlight the financial hardship that industry professionals were going to face as they stopped work (via Variety).After sending the letter, Johnson’s team reached out to offer help.

Bad news out of the Venice Film Festival: Variety reports that Luca Guadagnino‘s “Challengers” will no longer be the opening film on the Lido this year. What’s more, MGM/Amazon Studios have pushed back the tennis love triangle drama’s US theatrical release to next spring, too.

Succession star Brian Cox has said the actors strike will “affect British Equity far worse than it will probably affect SAG-AFTRA.”

Marjaneh Ayati never expected to be watching dogs for a living.

Prime Video Italy’s scripted chief Davide Nardini took to the stage at the AVP Summit today and provided views on the actors strike, the streamer’s strategic shift towards mainstream audiences and local talent.

Hollywood strikes, including Kevin Bacon, Susan Sarandon, Awkwafina, Paul Dano and Olivia Wilde.The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists’ (SAG-AFTRA) strike against Hollywood production houses was called recently after talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) collapsed last week.Actors are demanding increases in base pay and residuals. Also included in their demands are guarantees from studio and production companies about how AI will be used, including with their likeness, and that they will be compensated when any of their work is used to train AI.Additionally, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) has been on strike since early May with similar stipulations.

EXCLUSIVE: AMC’s Interview with the Vampire Season 2 has paused production due to the actors strike, despite the fact it is filmed outside the U.S. with a majority international cast.

“The Chosen” is the first known TV series to have been granted a waiver from SAG to continue filming amid the strike.

The actors strike is being felt as far away as Australia, as the country’s production union issued guidance saying a “limited” number of SAG-affiliated productions will have to stop for now.

Cillian Murphy and Emily Blunt left the London premiere of Oppenheimer today (July 13) as a Hollywood actors’ strike was called.According to director Christopher Nolan, the actors left the premiere as the strike began (via BBC), after the event was brought forward by an hour so the cast could walk the red carpet.The national board of SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) – Hollywood’s largest union, which represents 160,000 actors and performers – voted unanimously today to strike, according to The Los Angeles Times.SAG-AFTRA was seeking better pay and working conditions in the age of streaming, while other negotiations related to safeguards against the unregulated use of artificial intelligence in the industry.Following a breakdown in negotiations between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), SAG-AFTRA members were told to be prepared to strike as they awaited the outcome of today’s vote.The Hollywood shutdown is first time in 63 years that actors and writers have gone on strike simultaneously. Actors will reportedly be on the picket line from Friday (July 14).“What’s happening to us is happening across all fields of labor,” said SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher.

The cast of Oppenheimer staged a walk-out from its London premiere as a Hollywood actors' strike was confirmed. Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt and Matt Damon were among those who left the star-studded event to “write their picket signs”.

British acting union Equity will “stand in unwavering solidarity” with its counterpart SAG-AFTRA over the looming actors strike.

EXCLUSIVE: UK broadcasting union Bectu has sounded the alarm over strike action in the US.

Actor Jeffrey Carlson is dead at 48. He was best known for his groundbreaking role as the daytime TV’s first transgender character on All My Children.

EXCLUSIVE: A documentary now in production will examine the UPS workforce and its union, even as the package shipping company faces the possibility of a strike that could impact the entire U.S. economy.

Tom Cruise has no intention of slowing down.

went missing in January while on a hike in California. He was last seen on Friday, January 13 in the Baldy Bowl area in the San Gabriel mountains, north of Los Angeles.

When Anthony Mackie makes his big-screen debut as Captain America in the upcoming “Captain America: Brave New World”, he’ll be joined by Marvel newcomer Harrison Ford.