Hollywood writers agree to end 5-month strike after studio deal

After nearly five months of strike action, the union representing Hollywood writers, The Writers Guild of America (WGA) announced that union leaders “voted unanimously to lift the restraining order and end the strike”.

The strike ended at midnight Pacific time. Its 11,500 members will then vote on whether to approve the three-year deal that offers pay raises and AI protections. 

A separate strike involving actors has still not been resolved. 

The writers’ strike began on 2 May and saw members of the Screen Actros Guild (SAG) join them on 13 July, making it the longest strike to affect Hollywood in decades. 

The joint strikes have cost the US economy around $5bn according to an estimate from Milken Institute economist Kevin Klowden. 

It’s seen many big shows such as Stranger Things and Yellowjackets shut down and many late-night talk shows taken off air. 

Some of those shows will now return. But the end of the strike does not mean Hollywood will return to normal as the actors are still on strike. 

Just like writers, actors are looking to improve wages, working conditions and health and pension benefits. There are also concerns over the use of artificial intelligence in future TV and film productions. 

But a deal with the writers could act as a template for the actors union to draft its own deal with Hollywood studios.