Hurricane Hilary Prepares To Hit California Amid Talks Between Writers and Studios

No news appears to be good news when it comes to talks between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). According to a message sent to WGA members late Friday, both sides in the ongoing strike—which is now on its 110th day—”will continue to meet next week” after trading proposals during the work week.

Reps for the unions and streaming services met on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the Hollywood Reporter notes. That’s the longest streak of conversations since before “They walked away from the bargaining table and put us out on strike,” the WGA said in a written statement.

While the WGA declined to comment on the negotiations, unnamed sources within the AMPTP tell THR that “they feel talks are moving along but are not yet at a breakthrough point,” and that “There’s more positive momentum this week than last.” 

Studio heads like Disney Entertainment co-chair Dana Waldman and Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos have “become more directly involved in the process,” Deadline reports, with executives independently meeting with one another in efforts to foster a deal. 

That said, folks like The Wire creator David Simon urge writers not to believe unsourced media reports about contract talks, saying they “come from the studios and are tactical and cynical.” The WGA took a similar stance, telling members to “be skeptical of rumors from third parties, knowing that the Guild will communicate when we think there is something of significance to report.”

While conversations between the writers and studios seem to be moving along, the stalemate between actors and the AMPTP continues. The WGA and SAG-AFTRA held its first coordinated bicoastal picket Friday, with actors gathering in 80-degree weather in LA and marching in front of the New York offices of Warner Bros Discovery and Netflix, Deadline reports. At present, negotiators for the actors’ guild say that the AMPTP has not reached out to resume negotiations.

But while the landmark double strike continues, picketing will cease for now—or at least until the full shape of Hurricane Hilary is known. The Category 4 storm has prompted the National Hurricane Center to issue its first-ever tropical storm warning for the Southern California region, including “catastrophic and life-threatening flooding” a possibility in downtown L.A. as the storm reaches land on Sunday. 

The historic weather conditions—reportedly the first tropical cyclone to reach that part of the state since 1939, mean both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA have decided to stay home on Monday “out of an abundance of caution,” Deadline reports, with additional cancellations possible of damage to the region is severe.