Earlier this week Disney announced (whinged) that it expected a $ 300 million revenue loss attributable to the strike.
Today, The Hollywood Reporter says sources are reporting cost-cutting at Warner Brothers Television Group.
the studio has suspended a number of overall deals for its top creatives including J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot (Duster), Greg Berlanti (Superman & Lois), Chuck Lorre (Bob Hearts Abishola), Bill Lawrence (Shrinking), John Wells (Maid), Mindy Kaling (Sex Lives of College Girls). Sources say Lorre’s multiyear pact with his decades-long studio was quietly suspended in May, a week into the strike, with Wells’ deal a month later.
Deadline has a similar report but interprets the news as more likely ‘suspend and extend’ arrangements.
One has to wonder why the major content producers are continuing side with Netflix, Amazon and Apple which are primarily streamers.
This is significant, but probably not quite as significant as it would seem at first glance, if indeed the contracts are merely suspended and their terms will be extended once they resume.
On the other hand, it’s nice that the studios have dropped their “the strikes are saving us money” bullshit.