“Deadpool 3” stops filming as the SAG-AFTRA strike begins, with performers joining Writers Guild of America members in picket lines. The Marvel sequel is one of the first major productions to be affected by the new strike.
News of the production suspension comes just days after “Deadpool 3” gave fans their first look at the set, releasing a photo of stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman dressed as Deadpool and Wolverine, respectively. News also recently broke that Jennifer Garner will be appearing in the movie as Elektra, after starring in the title role in 2003’s “Daredevil” and the 2005 spinoff movie “Elektra.”
Deadpool 3 reunites Reynolds with “Free Guy” director Shawn Levy. The film will be the first entry in the series released by The Walt Disney Company, following the studio’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019. The trilogy is slated for a May 3, 2024 release in theaters — a throwaway location now in jeopardy due to a production hiatus.
When the WGA approved a strike order in May, television shows like NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” and late-night talk shows were the first to cease operations. Deadpool 3 has successfully passed the writers’ strike, and has been in production for the past several weeks. The sudden suspension of filming heralds an industry-wide slump now available with on-screen actors in picket lines.
SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 artists including actors, broadcasters, hosts, DJs, stunt performers and broadcast journalists, all of whom are currently striving for equal pay and better working conditions amidst the ever-changing Hollywood landscape that is being altered by broadcast platforms and artificial intelligence. The SAG talks ended July 12 at midnight PST after a 12-day extension period following the expiration of the contracts on June 30.
Additional reporting by KG Usman.
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