‘Dune: Part Two‘ has now joined the list of franchises that have pulled out of San Diego Comic-Con 2023. This decision comes amidst the ongoing SAG-AFTRA (The Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) strike which began on July 13. Meanwhile, the WGA (Writers Guild of America) has been on strike since May 2.
The stikes are associated with members who mostly represent actors working on film and television productions in the United States. The strikes are against the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) which represents studios, broadcasters, and streaming platforms.
Several movies and television shows have been delayed because of the strike. Production on several new projects has completely come to a standstill.
Dune: Part Two
Dune: Part Two is the sequel to Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune’ (2021) which is a two-part adaption of the 1965 novel ‘Dune’ by Frank Herbert. Warner Bros. green-lit the sequel after its commercial and critical success at the box office.
As per Deadline, the cancellations are primarily due to production houses not expecting star-studded red-carpet appearances. Many actors, who are members of the 150,000-strong SAG-AFTRA Union are likely to pull out of promotion events in solidarity with the Unions.
Dune: Part Two follows the journey of Paul Atreides (Timothee Chalamet), who is united with Chani (Zendaya) and the Fremen and looks to seek revenge against those who brought the downfall of his family. Dune: Part Two is all set to be released on November 3, 2023.
What are the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes?
The contracts that the Unions have with AMPTP have expired and speculations rise that their terms and conditions were not met for a contract renewal. Apart from increasing minimum wage standards, equal distribution shares, the film industry has been struggling since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The main issues focus on income cuts in writers’ average incomes and the AMPTP not meeting the minimum wage standards. Other issues also include the extensive use of A.I. Many films, tv shows, and podcasts have been affected by the strike forcing them to halt production or continue without writers.
Though movies that have finished productions are not affected by the strike, the same cannot be said so for future projects. Marvel pushed back the date of several of its movies and series which were a part of Phase 5. Many Late-Night Television Shows are airing previous episodes due to their screen-writers being on strike.
There is no confirmation of how long these strikes could go on. It’s been more than 2 months since the WGA strike has been going on, and now with the new SAG-AFTRA strike being enforced, we are expecting some serious delays in future projects. Stay tuned for more.
