Across the world, Hollywood tentpoles are shutting down. Marvel’s Deadpool 3, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator sequel and Tom Cruise’s eighth Mission: Impossible movie are among the projects on hold as the actors strike commences.
The SAG-AFTRA stoppage comes two months after the writers strike hobbled the TV business and delayed multiple movies. Now the movie business stops as well, though studios are looking to move the ball forward with what they’ve already shot while making plans for resuming production down the road.
At Marvel Studios, which has multiple films and TV shows in post-production, that’s an ethos studio head Kevin Feige and co-president Louis D’Esposito shared in an email to staff Thursday.
“We recognize how much you’ve all done on your specific projects and it’s disappointing when carefully laid plans have to shift, but constant change is the nature of the production business, and our teams are no stranger to unexpected challenges and rising to meet them,” Feige and D’Esposito wrote. “We deeply appreciate all your efforts to make the best of the situation, and we can all hope that a new agreement will be finalized soon so we can resume the great work we have in process.”
Studios have long known the strike was a possibility, and some films had contingency plans in place in the event of a strike. One producing source notes their film front-loaded scenes with a key actor, who they knew would be unavailable in the fall due to a series commitment, after a potential strike ended.
One area where work can potentially continue is animation, particular for projects set to roll out in 2025 and beyond. As is common practice, animators could have people around their studio record temporary voices on upcoming projects to help inform the work, with SAG-AFTRA actors recording their lines at a later time. Animated features aiming for 2024 release, however, might be more likely to be at a point in the production where actors would be needed to record final dialogue. Movies slated for a 2024 release include Kung Fu Panda 4 (March 8), Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse on March 29 (though that was already likely to shift, even before the strike), Despicable Me 4 (July 3) and Transformers One (Sept. 13).
Below are the features The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed are halting filming. Others that have been filming, such as Wicked, Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2 and Mortal Kombat are presumably halting, but THR has not independently confirmed that is the case.
Deadpool 3 (Disney/Marvel)
Release date: May 3, 2024
Before the Writers Strike began on May 1, Marvel studios was gearing up to put three features into production, but ultimately only Deadpool 3 had a script that was ready. (Thunderbolts and Blade are on indefinite hold). The feature, starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, began filming in London in late May, with other stars including Matthew Macfadyen and Emma Corrin as well as returning Deadpool regulars such as Stefan Kapicic and Brianna Hildebrand. Free Guy and The Adam Project helmer Shawn Levy directs.
Gladiator 2 (Paramount)
Release date: Nov. 24, 2024
Twenty years after Gladiator, Ridley Scott is about halfway through filming his sequel, which began filming in June and has shot in locations such as Morocco and Malta. Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen and Denzel Washington are among the cast. Production already faced a stoppage in June after an accident hospitalized multiple crewmembers.
Lilo & Stitch (Disney)
Release date: TBA
The remake of the animated 2002 began filming in Hawaii in April, with newcomer Maia Kealoha playing Lilo.
Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part 2 (Paramount)
Release Date: June 28, 2024
The film was already on a a pre-planned hiatus so Tom Cruise, filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie and other castmembers could embark on a global press tour. The strike will delay when filming picks up again as it aims for a release date 11 months away.
Release date: TBA
Production began in late June in Spain, with Tom Hardy reteaming with his longtime writing partner Kelly Marcel on the third Venom. Marcel is in the director’s chair for the first time. Juno Temple and Chiwetel Ejiofor are newcomers to the franchise this time around, with little else known about the script, which Marcel wrote after collaborating with Hardy on the story.
Untitled F1 Drama (Apple)
Release date: TBA
Filming on the Brad Pitt-Damson Idris feature began in early July, with director Joseph Kosinski and cinematographer Claudio Miranda. They are aiming to put cameras in racing cars, as they did with fighter jets in Top Gun: Maverick.
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