Image source, Reuters

SAG-AFTRA expressed its "heartfelt congratulations" to negotiators from the Writers Guild of America (WGA) for striking a deal with studio bosses - the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

In a post on X, external – formerly known as Twitter – the actors union said it applauds “your dedication, diligence, and unwavering solidarity over the last five months.”

The union added that it remains ready to resume its own negotiations with AMPTP, as the actors' dispute remains unresolved.

Image source, Chris Delmas / AFP

Here's some more reaction from Hollywood's writers who took to social media to pen notes of gratitude and relief after the tentative deal was announced.

Writers Guild of America (WGA) chief negotiator, Ellen Stutzman, said she wanted to "shine the light on you brilliant writers who brought solidarity and resolve to another level in this 146 day fight".

Cindy Begel, writer of Mork and Mindy welcomed the "exceptional" news and thanked the WGA who picketed and led the strike.

"Writing as a VIABLE career saved! We did it," she said.

Steven McIntosh
Entertainment reporter

They may not be as well-known as some of the striking actors, but here are some of the key players in the Hollywood writers’ strike.

For 14 years, Carol Lombardini has led negotiations for studios in contract talks with all of Hollywood’s unions and guilds, including the talks that led to the proposed deal for writers being reported today.

As president and chief negotiator of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), she represents the interests of studios, production companies and streaming services when it comes to drawing up contracts with unions.

Image source, Getty Images

In the opposite corner has been Ellen Stutzman, who is chief negotiator for the Writers Guild. However, unlike Lombardini, who has been in position since 2009, Stutzman only began her current role in February.

Just two weeks later, contract talks began which would ultimately lead to the strike which was called in May. It will have been quite a baptism of fire.

There are four other big names worth mentioning in particular, the quadriptych who are said to have played a key role in getting talks restarted with writers over the weekend.

They are Disney managing director Bob Iger, NBC Universal chair Donna Langley, Warner Bros. Discovery chief executive David Zaslav and Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos.

Countless famous names have also picketed with the Writers Guild of America (WGA), arguably generating some of the most valuable publicity.

They have included 30 Rock creator Tina Fey, Better Call Saul star Bob Odenkirk, and actresses Susan Sarandon and Cynthia Nixon.

Image source, Getty Images

While the writers appear close to a deal to return to typing furiously, the people who bring much of their work to life remain on strike.

Actors, represented by the 160,000-strong SAG-AFTRA performers' union, walked out in July over their own dispute over pay and the use of AI in the film and television industries.

After the writers announced their possible deal, the actors’ union congratulated them on the outcome and praised their "146 days of incredible strength, resiliency and solidarity".

It goes on to confirm their strike remains in place, urging studios, streaming firms and other industry bosses to “return to the table and make the fair deal that our members deserve and demand”.

This ongoing strike action means an immediate return for many TV and movies is not yet on the cards, even if the writers do resolve their own dispute imminently.

Liv McMahon
Technology reporter

Image source, Getty Images

WGA members are worried about the potential threat posed to screenwriters’ livelihoods by the rise of generative AI applications like OpenAI’s ChatGPT – which can produce reams of content in seconds with a simple prompt.

Authors, artists and actors have already warned of the risk that these tools could be used produce work in their style. Some, such as authors George R.R. Martin and Sarah Silverman, are suing companies behind generative AI tools over alleged copyright violations.

Screenwriters in Hollywood are similarly worried studios could start turning to AI to produce research, treatments, scripts and other writing materials to cut costs and time, and squeeze writers further out of an industry they feel is already short-changing them.

The WGA has asked for assurances over AI use for film and TV writing to protect its members – namely by not letting AI write or rewrite content, or be used to provide source material.

Whether this is something studios have agreed to is currently unclear, as we await the details of the "tentative" deal reached today, but pinning down the wording on AI use reportedly held up negotiations at the weekend, external.

More from WGA board member Liz Alper now, who says the writers' success sends a message to workers in other industries and other countries:

She expressed hope that people watching will take heart that strike action, collective bargaining and "standing together" with colleagues is how they can "get their rightful share".

"Because right now workers all over the world are being replaced by AI, or they're just being replaced because of companies contracting.

"So I do hope that people are looking at this and realising what the power of solidarity looks like," Alper tells the BBC.

A writer and board member of the WGA has welcomed the news of a deal being reached, even if the details are yet to be publicly released.

Liz Alper told the BBC that it must be a "very good deal" if the union seems pleased with it, as they have a "bullish negotiating committee who has been dedicated to making sure we get the best deal possible for our members".

She says that the guild’s 11,000 members were "deeply concerned" over pay and the use of artificial intelligence to "increasingly replace them in the future".

Alper adds that they will get both protections in the workplace and from AI technology for all areas of their membership, which includes comedy writers and screenwriters for TV and films.

"So, in all of those areas we've made major gains and that's something to really take to heart."

The loss of pay to writers has not been the only economic cost of the walkouts, with some putting the financial toll of the strikes in the US in the billions.

The pain has been felt in California, as well as other key production areas in New Mexico, Georgia and New York.

Affected businesses include many which work in and around the production of film and TV, like costume suppliers, carpenters and catering firms - as their production support or on-set services were no longer needed.

According to an estimate from the Milken Institute think tank, the strikes are anticipated to have cost at least $5bn (£4.1bn). California’s Governor, Gavin Newsom, said the deal would revive a major sector of his state’s economy.

As well as issues around pay, the writers fear the impact of artificial intelligence potentially supplanting their talents.

Negotiations also broke down over staffing levels and the "residuals" they receive for popular streaming shows.

Residuals are the payments writers, actors and others get for a TV or film being rebroadcast or sold - like DVD sales, getting repeated on TV at a later date or licensing to streaming services.

Traditionally, writers would receive additional payments when their programmes were repeated. However, this model was undermined by streaming.

Part of the payments writers now receive includes a sum intended to compensate for the royalties they are not receiving from broadcast repeats.

But writers have said their earnings from streaming are a fraction of the money they would have got from broadcast TV shows.

Image source, Reuters

Writers seem optimistic the agreement will bring an end to the industrial action and WGA's 11,000 members back to work.

Adam Conover, who wrote and starred in The G Word on Netflix, tweeted on Monday, external: "We did it. We have a tentative deal.”

"Over the coming days, we'll discuss and vote on it, together, as a democratic union. But today, I want to thank every single WGA member, and every fellow worker who stood with us in solidarity. You made this possible."

Alex Zaragoza, external, a writer on Amazon Freevee series Primo, said she reacted to the news by "crying, screaming, throwing up,(and) crying again".

"Thank you thank you thank you to all of our strike captains who have held us down at every picket these last 146 days,” she said.“(You) kept us hydrated, informed, sunblocked, safe from cars, and feeling encouraged. Love y'all!!"

Steven McIntosh
Entertainment reporter

Image source, HBO / Warner Media

The anticipated resolution of the strike means writers on several popular TV series can now return to work on them.

They include The Last of Us, Billions, Stranger Things, The Handmaid's Tale, Hacks, Severance, Yellowjackets and Abbott Elementary.

However, that doesn’t mean all these shows will immediately resume shooting. Bear in mind that while the writers may be on the brink of returning, actors are still striking.

As a result, the first TV shows audiences will probably see back on air are those which don’t involve actors – namely the daytime and late-night talk shows. Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers are among the prime time chat show hosts whose shows can now return.

Audiences can expect to see some of them back on air as early as next month. As for daytime, programmes such as The Drew Barrymore Show, The Jennifer Hudson Show and The Talk are also likely to resume very soon.

"Their productions would all be in shape," an source told Hollywood publication Variety.

TV dramas and comedies will take longer to come back, not just because of the ongoing actors' strike, but also because it is more logistically complicated to get large-scale productions off the ground.

Image source, Reuters

The short answer is: We don’t know yet.

Announcing the tentative agreement, the WGA union's negotiating committee asked for patience on details of the pact.

The committee also cautioned they need to make sure everything agreed "is codified in final contract language".

"And though we are eager to share the details of what has been achieved with you, we cannot do that until the last 'i' is dotted,” they said in a statement.

Image source, Reuters

Announcing their proposed deal with studio bosses, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) described it as "exceptional - with meaningful gains and protections for writers".

The agreement in principle with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers was reached after five days of intense negotiations.

But it's not a final agreement, as the details are being ironed out and WGA members must still have a final say.

The guild's message on the proposed deal said it was not yet calling off the strike, but did suspend picketing.The union's members and leadership need to agree a three-year contract before they return to work.

Nathan Williams
Live reporter

Late last night Los Angeles time, screenwriters for TV and films in the US said they had reached a tentative deal with studio bosses that could see them end their strikes.

The walkout of behind-the-scenes staff, which has lasted for nearly five months, is the longest strike to hit Hollywood in decades and has halted most studio production.

But before you get too excited about the return of your favourite shows, the deal is by no means final as the writers in question must have the final say on the deal.

A separate issue delaying any return to most TV and film production is an ongoing strike among actors, launched in July.

Stick with us and we'll bring you any updates, as well as reaction and analysis of proposed deal.