Deadpool 3 joins the ever-growing list of titles affected by the Writers Guild Association’s strike as Ryan Reynolds is no longer allowed to improvise his character’s lines. His contributions to previous Deadpool scripts helped shaped the titular character’s persona on screen, earning him writer’s credits within the franchise.
The previous WGA contract which recently expired, thus inspiring the current strike, allowed for minor changes to be made to scripts, such as “casual minor adjustments in dialogue or narration made prior to or during the period of principal photography.” But with the ongoing strike having no end in sight, the script is no longer open to revisions. Writers were often expected to make any revisions or rewrites without additional compensation, one of several demands the WGA members are striving to change as negotiations escalate.
Over 11,500 writers are represented by the Writers Guild Association and they are standing in solidarity over contract terms that are estimated to only cost production studios a small percentage of revenue. This is the first strike since streaming became increasingly popular but hopefully, it will be the WGA’s shortest one as they don’t appear to be asking for too much – job security and fair wages.
The WGA has also invited (albeit seemingly sarcastically) Jenna Ortega to join the picketing, as she previously made statements about having to rewrite many of her lines in Wednesday to fit her vision of the character.
The standoff between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and the WGA has already stopped the production of several shows and films. Some are choosing to shut down in support of the WGA while others are being disrupted by picketing writers.
Production of the final season of Stranger Things has reportedly been postponed, though Netflix has yet to confirm a new start date. According to sources, the series creators Matt and Ross Duffer posted on Twitter, “Duffers here. Writing does not stop when filming begins. While we’re excited to start production with our amazing cast and crew, it is not possible during this strike. We hope a fair deal is reached soon so we can all get back to work. Until then — over and out. #wgastrong.”
Additionally, Blade, Loot, Bunk’d, Saturday Night Live, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Late Show With Stephen Colbert, Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night With Seth Meyers, The Daily Show, Real Time With Bill Maher, The Talk, and Last Week Tonight With John Oliver have also been affected.