The glitz and glamour of Hollywood have taken a hit this year as the film industry grapples with a widespread strike by unionized actors, leaving major studios like Disney and Sony in a bind. Amidst the chaos, Disney has been forced to reevaluate its film release schedule, leading to potential delays for highly-anticipated titles such as ‘Poor Things,’ ‘Next Goal Wins,’ ‘Wish,’ and ‘Magazine Dreams.’

Following suit, Sony Pictures Entertainment recently made the tough decision to postpone the release of two major films: ‘Kraven the Hunter’ and a sequel to ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife.’ This move echoes the actions of other studios, which have also pulled big-budget movies from the 2023 release calendar, leaving theater owners and fans disheartened, the Economic Times reported.

Sony’s challenges don’t end there; they’ve also pushed back several significant releases slated for 2024, including ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse’ and a new installment of ‘Karate Kid.’ In a bid to navigate around the limitations imposed by the ongoing strike, Sony has hatched a unique strategy for the film ‘Gran Turismo,’ opting for sneak previews before its wide release.

Not to be left out, Warner Bros. is now mulling over the idea of delaying the release of three highly anticipated movies scheduled for the holiday season in 2023: ‘Dune: Part Two,’ ‘Aquaman’ and the ‘Lost Kingdom,’ and ‘The Color Purple.’

The strike, led by the Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild of America, has caused a considerable headache for studios, preventing actors from participating in publicity events, premieres, film festivals, and media interviews supporting movies from the struck companies. This has raised concerns about a lack of star power available for movie promotion.

SAG-AFTRA, the actors’ union, remains steadfast in their demands for improved compensation from streaming services and protections related to artificial intelligence and other crucial issues. Despite the studios’ eagerness to find a resolution, no talks have been scheduled, leaving the strike’s end date uncertain.

As the strike continues to impact the release schedule, some studios have had to postpone films. For example, Searchlight Pictures had to delay ‘Poor Things,’ and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer made the tough call to move ‘Challengers’ due to the actors’ ban on publicity activities.
The dwindling fall release schedule poses a serious challenge for the movie theater industry, which has been slowly recovering from the crippling impact of the pandemic.

Timely releases of major blockbusters are crucial for the success of multiplex chains like AMC and Cinemark, as a strong movie lineup attracts audiences. The lack of movies during the pandemic resulted in theater closures and screen reductions, with Cineworld, the owner of the Regal chain, having operated under Chapter 11 bankruptcy for almost a year, underscoring the fragility of the industry.

With the strike’s potential continuation into September, there are fears it could further affect the 2024 release calendar, as several movies slated for next year have had their production halted during the strike. To meet their 2024 release dates, these films will need to resume filming as soon as possible, adding to the pressure on studios and filmmakers alike.