Production has shut down on several major blockbusters due to the ongoing actors' strike, including Gladiator 2 and Deadpool 3, which were currently filming in Malta and London. And the cost of the shutdown is a big one – according to a new report from Variety, the cost of holding on to soundstages containing a movie's sets is an estimated $600,000 per week.
Actors are currently on strike, joining striking screenwriters and members of the WGA union, after negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and Hollywood studios ground to a halt last week. The performers' union is demanding better pay for actors, particularly when it comes to royalties for streaming titles, and better regulation around the use of AI to recreate actors' images.
These ongoing costs to studios may help speed up negotiations, but Hollywood bosses are still holding firm. "There’s a level of expectation that [the unions] have, that is just not realistic. And they are adding to the set of the challenges that this business is already facing that is, quite frankly, very disruptive," Disney CEO Bob Iger, who could earn up to $27 million this year, recently said.
Gladiator 2 will follow Lucius (Paul Mescal), the nephew of Commodus, who was played by Joaquin Phoenix in the original Gladiator movie. The cast also includes Connie Nielsen, Pedro Pascal, and Joseph Quinn, with Ridley Scott back in the director's chair. As for Deadpool 3, Ryan Reynolds returns as the Merc with the Mouth and he's set to be joined by some familiar faces – namely, Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and Jennifer Garner as Elektra.
Deadpool 3 is currently set to hit the big screen on May 3, 2024, while Gladiator 2 is scheduled for November 22, 2024, although these shutdowns are likely to result in delays. In the meantime, check out our guide to this year's most highly anticipated movie release dates.
