The WGA and SAG-AFTRA are both on strike for the first time since 1960, and there's currently no end in sight. Writers, in particular, want to change the very foundation of Hollywood in an effort to ensure studios pay them what they deserve.
Streaming has changed things in a big way, and residuals have shrunk from thousands of dollars to mere pennies. The likes of Netflix and Disney+ don't reveal viewership numbers, meaning writers aren't given the chance to fight for what they're owed after penning shows which become global hits.
There are those who argue that the thousands of dollars these writers get in the first place should be enough, but it's all about context. Studios are making millions, if not billions, from their work and, without them, there would be no movies or TV shows.
Now, What If...? Head Writer A.C. Bradley has taken aim at Disney and Marvel Studios, revealing that despite "significantly rewriting" every episode of Ms. Marvel, she was only paid a weekly rate and never a fee for each script.
That's a shock considering the WGA mandated Bradley receive a writing credit on half the season, but she does go on to provide a reason. "The original writers had already been paid [and] were no longer employed at the studio," she explains. "Marvel didn't want to pay another fee."
That doesn't reflect particularly well on Marvel Studios, though it is largely the norm...hence why there's a strike.
It remains to be seen what the outcome of all this will be, but there are already rumblings that these strikes could last well into 2024, meaning Hollywood is facing a COVID-level of chaos and delays in the months ahead.
Stay tuned for updates.