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After nearly five months of stalled film and TV production, Hollywood’s screenwriters have reached a tentative agreement with studios and producers to end the prolonged writers’ strike.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) announced the breakthrough deal late Sunday evening with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), representing studios, streaming services and other entertainment companies.

“The WGA and AMPTP have reached a tentative agreement,” the WGA West tweeted Sunday night. “This was made possible by the enduring solidarity of WGA members and extraordinary support of our union siblings who stood with us for over 146 days.”

The three-year contract must still gain approval from the WGA’s board and full membership. But if ratified, it would officially conclude the strike launched on May 2nd when 11,500 writers stopped working after their prior deal expired.

Marathon negotiation sessions continued through the weekend before this eleventh-hour agreement. The actors union SAG-AFTRA, also currently striking, congratulated the WGA and signaled hope for restarting their own stalled talks.

Historic Joint Strike Shut Down Hollywood Production

The landmark writers’ strike began after months of contentious negotiations failed to yield a new contract. Core issues included boosting compensation, addressing diminished writing staffs, and objections to AI script creation.

When the strike commenced, it immediately sent shockwaves through Hollywood. Late night talk shows like The Tonight Show, The Daily Show, and Late Show with Stephen Colbert went dark without writers to craft jokes and monologues.

Daytime chat shows like The Drew Barrymore Show also halted filming, reversing plans to continue production after backlash. The settlement gives these programs the green light to return to air.

With no new scripts, networks scrambled to rearrange fall schedules relying on reruns, reality TV and game shows. A prolonged strike potentially risked the entire TV season. The swift deal lets scripted series resume production immediately.

In July, SAG-AFTRA’s 160,000 actors joined WGA picket lines in an unprecedented joint strike — the first since 1952. This compounded the shutdown’s impact, bringing virtually all film and serialized TV production to a standstill.

Marathon Summit and Breakthrough After Five Bleak Months

September’s joint summit between union leaders and four media CEOs — Disney’s Bob Iger, Warner Bros. Discovery’s David Zaslav, NBCUniversal’s Donna Langley and Netflix’s Ted Sarandos — reset the tone after months of acrimony.

Building on that momentum, round-the-clock weekend negotiations finally yielded tangible progress. While exact terms await release pending ratification, the tentative pact reflects both sides’ eagerness to get Hollywood back on track.

The crippling strike exacerbated intense pressure on media companies already facing economic headwinds, viewership fragmentation, and streaming’s uncertain future. Restarting profitable production is especially crucial for Netflix as subscriber growth stalls.

For writers, the nearly five-month pay gap created financial hardship, especially for support staff. Holding firm paid off, but returning to work will ease the strain. The solidarity displayed gave creators leverage that should translate to meaningful gains.

Actors Union Urges Studios to Resume Contract Talks

With WGA’s finish line in sight, SAG-AFTRA is also keen to reach their own agreement. The actors union went on strike seeking improved streaming compensation along with increased residuals and secondary markets payments.

In a statement, SAG-AFTRA said they “remain ready to resume our own negotiations with the AMPTP as soon as they are prepared to engage on our proposals in a meaningful way.”

Now that writers have a tentative deal, observers expect studios to pivot focus and fast-track actors’ talks to quickly mend Hollywood’s labor unrest. With positives vibes percolating, a speedy actors’ agreement could also be forged.

This would allow the cameras to start rolling again on delayed movies and shows within weeks. The industry will be holding its breath for swift resolution after months in limbo.

The Bottom Line — Labor Peace Essential to Restarting Hollywood

At its core, this contract dispute represented a reckoning over how creators are compensated in the digital era as media economics rapidly evolve. With stubborn persistence on both sides, a painful impasse emerged.

However, the solidarity displayed by writers and actors gained traction and redressed the balance of power somewhat back towards talent. The tentative deal reflects a compromise that should moderately improve how creators share in Hollywood’s billions.

More work remains to build a system that sustainably supports talent in the streaming age. But this agreement represents a vital restart, allowing the cameras to roll again.

With screens small and silver needing high-quality content, studios have every incentive now to engage actors creatively and in good faith. Rebuilding trust after a crisis will take time, but this settlements clears the slate.

For the entertainment industry’s financial health and the enjoyment of global audiences eager for fresh films and shows, labor peace will be the key to getting back on track.