Lionsgate and Marvel reach deal with writers guild
Lionsgate and Marvel join other small studios in reaching a deal with the Writers Guild of America. The list of studios who have patched things up with the writers is growing, and now includes United Artist, Worldwide Pants, and The Weinstein Co. in addition to Lionsgate and Marvel.
Oh goodie, that means Saw V will be out on time.
But it also means any last minute tweaks to Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk can proceed, so we still have those to look forward to this summer.
Which will be the first major studio to see the light and end this thing? Warner Bros. has shown a willingness to screw it’s partners lately so my bet is on them.
Chuck returns tonight
Apparently NBC has enough episodes of Chuck in the can that it feels comfortable in releasing two of them on the same night, a different night than you’re used to seeing Chuck I might add.
Chuck is a turn-your-brain-off-and-enjoy kind of show, and I’ll admit I’ve enjoyed many episodes. I did eventually stop watching due to a lack of time, but I might TiVo this just in case the writers strike goes on for a few more months.
Then again, my TiVo has recorded over 200 shows it thinks I’ll be interested in, and my Netflix queue has many many titles in it.. so perhaps not.
For those who want to watch, Chuck bookends The Apprentice tonight at 8 and 10PM.
Justice League of America on hold, thank you striking writers!
That’s not even sarcastic, I sincerely thank the writers for not being there to work on this movie.
This was supposed top be a “special effects extravaganza” and a really big deal for Warner Bros., but look at who they cast for it:
- Superman - Scott Porter
- Batman - Armie Hammer
- Wonder Woman - Megan Gale
- Green Lantern - Common
- Flash - Adam Brody
Can you possibly take this seriously? How many of those names to you know? Do you think “Common” is a typo on my part?
Maybe I’m wrong, and maybe it’ll eventually be made and we’ll all just love it. But I have serious doubts about this one, serious doubts.
Studios Cancel Writers Contracts
It looks like the current television season is officially over as studios have begun canceling their contracts with writers. This effects not only this season which has already been assumed to be over, but next season as well since these contracts were for future shows, pilots, etc.
Here’s my favorite quote from the LA Times article:
“I didn’t see it coming,” Barbara Hall, a writer and producer whose credits include former CBS series “Joan of Arcadia” and “Judging Amy,” told the Times, which said ABC executives gave her the news Friday. “I am not entirely sure what their strategy is, all I know was that I was a casualty of it.”
Didn’t see it coming?! You’re on strike and you didn’t consider that the studios might cancel your contract!? Oh come on, you’ve got to be kidding me. The one thing I will agree with her on is that it’s hard to see what the strategy is from the studios side.
This is a simple formula. No writers = no content = less viewers = less advertisers = less money. The studios are playing a very dangerous game here, very possibly hurting their long term prospects in order to keep from paying writers for content they distribute over the internet.
Maybe this move was meant to freak out the writers who have been certain all along that as content dries up the studios will have no choice but to give in to their demands. Maybe the studios are willing to lose much money in the long run just to win this thing. Like all strikes, the winner will be the one who can stand the suffering the longest. This very well could be a salvo where the studios say “See, we’re willing to shoot off not only our foot, but both damn legs to win this thing!”.
And I still have over 250 movies in my Netflix queue.
United Artists makes a deal with the Writers Guild of America
A few hours ago United Artists made a deal with the Writers Guild of America, one similar to what David Letterman’s company Worldwide Pants made. Details are sketchy at the moment, but it appears the writers got what they wanted, a piece of future digital distribution.
Will this make a difference with the major studios? Probably not, at least not immediately. Like most strikes this one is going to come down to who has the balls to stick it out the longest. The studios have really deep pockets, and they have some product in the can so they can wait quite awhile. The writers may be in the right here, but can they continue to hold out month after month without a paycheck? Perhaps so, after all, they’re writers.. at some point in the past they had to make do with very little money so they have experience to draw on.
In theory the consumers will feel the pinch first as most new shows won’t be starting up over the next few weeks. Those that do will see an increase in audience though, so some win.. some lose.
Me, I just keep adding movies to my Netflix queue and I know I won’t be lacking for entertainment for a long long time.