Which movies and TV shows will be affected by the Hollywood actors strike?

An enormous Hollywood strike is set to shut down the production of popular films and television shows across the entertainment industry.

Film and TV audiences will likely notice the impact of the the first joint strike in over six decades, as actors and writers take to the picket line after talks with studios and streaming services broke down.

Union bosses had been hoping to negotiate better terms with streaming giants like Netflix, Disney, and Amazon, but discussions fell through.

And now, members of the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Writers Guild of America (WAG) are on strike at the same time.

The last time this happened was in 1960, when Ronald Reagan was the actors’ guild president.

Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence, and hundreds more top Hollywood talent will observe the strike.

On Thursday night, Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt and Matt Damon were among the stars who walked out from the London premiere of Oppenheimer to “write their picket signs” just hours before the strike was called.

Here are a few of the biggest films and TV shows potentially impacted.

Avatar

The second installment of James Cameron’s billion-dollar box office hit released in theatres in December, with promises that Avatar 3 & 4 are coming.

They are to follow Sam Worthington’s Jake Sully and Zoe Saldana’s Neytiri as they navigate life with the water tribe, the Metkayina, while being hunted by external military forces.

But both films, with respective 2025 and 2029 release dates, might now be forced to pause production.

This could see those release dates pushed back further.

Wicked

All eyes have been on glittering behind-the-scenes that have emerged from Jon M. Chu’s Wicked Part 1, a world-famous musical with a star-studded cast to boot.

Ariana Grande, playing Glinda the Good Witch, Cynthia Erivo as the Wicked Witch of the West, and Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey as Prince Fiyero are just a few of the top names attached.

It’s currently filming in the UK with a November 2024 release – but that could now be delayed.

James Cameron’s Avatar sequels could be delayed. / Credit: AP

Beetlejuice 2

Netflix star Jenna Ortega, celebrated for her performance as queen of gloom Wednesday Addams, was photographed on set in the US recently in costume as the daughter of Lydia Deetz, who was played by Winona Ryder in the original Beetlejuice.

It is currently set for September 2024 release, with Tim Burton returning to direct and Michael Keaton back in the titular role.

Gladiator 2

The sequel to Ridley Scott’s 2000 epic is already generating a lot of excitement.

Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, and Denzel Washington are all signed up for Gladiator 2.

Production has started in Morocco with a November 2024 release, but a shoot of its size will almost certainly be halted.

SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher. / Credit: AP

Deadpool 3

Ryan Reynolds’ third appearance as Wade Wilson has notably persisted through the writers strike, to the concern of some Marvel Cinematic Universe fans.

This is because Reynolds is a WGA member and a credited writer on the film so can only work as an actor.

If he was to improvise – a talent he is often celebrated for as Deadpool – it would break the writers strike rules.

He and Wolverine- AKA Hugh Jackman – have been spotted filming in London.

House of the Dragon

HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel series proved to be a highly successful follow-up, and fans were disappointed to learn the second season would not be on screens until the summer of 2024.

Executives were able to offer assurance that the script was completed ahead of the writers strike and thus, was not disrupted in this regard.

But the actors strike, as production takes place in the UK, could put things on pause.

Other films that are currently in production include: Ghostbusters 4, Mufasa: The Lion King, and the third Paddington movie, Paddington in Peru, which was supposed to begin filming on July 24.