Star Wars Boss Backs Hollywood Writers Strike

Lucasfilm CEO Kathleen Kennedy has voiced her full support for the WGA strikes, a move that will undoubtedly please Star Wars enthusiasts. The Writers Guild of America, a US labor union encompassing both movie and TV writers, launched major strikes on May 2, 2023, in an effort to secure better compensation for writers throughout Hollywood. Consequently, numerous shows and films have been indefinitely postponed, including Netflix's flagship Stranger Things. Even Star Wars has not been immune, with both Andor season 2 and The Mandalorian season 4 coming to a standstill.

Nevertheless, in an interview with Variety, Kennedy expressed her support for the WGA strikes, highlighting the significance of writing in the industry. "When it comes to acknowledging the importance of writing, I think everybody up here has demonstrated that you can’t do any of this without great writing," she stated. "All of us who create anything…I am in full support and I know most people are in full support of the writers getting what they deserve." However, she acknowledged that the situation is intricate and anticipates that negotiations will take time.

The changing landscape of the film and television industry has raised a meta issue that needs to be addressed - how is what the writers want being impacted by this transformation? Technological advancements and changes in the way we work have contributed to this shift, and it will take time for everyone to adapt. Therefore, it is crucial to take the necessary time to articulate and understand these feelings. Kathleen Kennedy's decision to acknowledge and tackle this issue is a step in the right direction.

Kennedy's observation about the past decade being a period of significant transformation in the film and TV industry is accurate. The emergence of streaming platforms has resulted in a surge of new content, but unfortunately, members of the WGA claim they are earning less than half of what writers on traditional broadcast networks are making. In the past, writers have benefited from back-end deals involving syndication and international licensing, but these have become less advantageous. Streaming services are now focused on developing their own unique libraries, which means that the latest productions are not syndicated in the first place.

The current streaming model appears to be unsustainable in reality. The costs of producing high-quality content are exorbitant, while the metrics for measuring success remain ambiguous. Furthermore, many streaming services are experiencing subscriber losses in the midst of economic crises. Given the current situation, the head of Star Wars is well-aware of the challenges. Disney is "ramping up" production for Star Wars, but with considerably tighter budgets. This means that there is no easy solution for the WGA writers' strike that she will have to contend with.

Source: Zack Sharf, Variety