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Update: The WGA is officially on strike against Village Roadshow Entertainment Group after the production company stiffed multiple writers.

On Saturday, the union announced the stop work order, prohibiting members from business with The Matrix franchise and Mad Max Fury Road banner under Working Rule 8.

“It has come to the Guild’s attention that over the last few months Village Roadshow hasn’t paid writers on numerous projects. Village Roadshow owes writers compensation, interest, and benefit contributions but has refused to pay. As such, the Guild has determined that Village Roadshow is not reliable or financially responsible and requires the posting of a bond to protect writers. Village Roadshow has, to date, refused to do so,” WGA leadership announced in a memo. “As a result, Village Roadshow is on the WGA strike list until further notice.”

Signed by President Meredith Stiehm, Vice President Michele Mulroney and Secretary-Treasurer Betsy Thomas, the...

The Writers Guild of America’s east and west chapters have sent a strongly-worded letter to the heads of the major Hollywood studios, criticizing them for inaction as artificial intelligence appears to be taking copy-written scripts and using it to “plagiarize stolen works.”

The letters were sent on Thursday to Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon MGM Studios; Disney CEO Bob Iger; NBCUniversal Studios & Entertainment chair Donna Langley; Netflix co-ceo and president Ted Sarandos; Paramount Global co-CEOs George Cheeks, Chris McCarthy and Brian Robbins; Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Ravi Ahuja; and Warner Bros. Discovery president/CEO David Zaslav. In the letter, the Wgaw and Wgae officers cite a Nov. 18 article by The Atlantic, noting that “tech companies have looted the studios’ intellectual property—a vast reserve of works created by generations of union labor—to train their artificial intelligence systems.”

The WGA officers go on to criticize the studios for doing “nothing to stop this theft.

The Writers Guild of America West has an issue with the company behind The Expendables franchise and Has Fallen films. WGA West president Meredith Stiehm and other leaders Wednesday sent a “Do Not Work” order to members about writing for Rambo producer Avi Lerner’s Millennium Pictures.

“The Guild has had to bring a significant number of claims against Millennium over the years for the company’s failure to pay writers initial compensation and residuals, as well as failure to pay writers within the timeframe established in the Mba,” the memo states (read it in full below). “The Guild has determined that Millennium is not financially responsible and requires the posting of an adequate bond before it can become signatory. Millennium has, to date, refused to do so.”

Millennium Films did not immediately respond to Deadline’s request for comment; we will update this post if and when we hear back.

The Writers Guild of America West has ordered its members to cease working with The Expendables producer Millennium Pictures, citing that the company is not a signatory to its current union agreement.

“We are writing to alert you that WGA members are prohibited under Working Rule 8 from performing writing services for, or optioning or selling literary material to, Millennium Pictures, Inc. (Millennium), or any affiliate thereof,” the union’s top executive officers stated in a Wednesday message to members. According to the union, the company is not a signatory to its 2023 contract, whose term is three years.

Moreover, the union leaders alleged, “The Guild has had to bring a significant number of claims against Millennium over the years for the company’s failure to pay writers initial compensation and residuals, as well as failure to pay writers within the timeframe established in the Mba.” As a result, “The Guild has...

The Writers Guild of America West ratified the appointment of Ellen Stutzman as its top staffer and re-elected incumbent board members in the latest test of member support of the union’s leadership since the 2023 writers strike.

Member leaders Raphael Bob-Waksberg, Deric Hughes, Justin Halpern, Travis Donnelly and John Rogers — in short, all the incumbents who ran — were re-elected to their board seats in the 2024 election, results released on Tuesday revealed. New members Melinda Hsu, Chris Hazzard and Danny Tolli were also elected in the contest.

Union members additionally supported the board of directors’ appointment of Stutzman as the union’s executive director in November 2023 by a wide margin: 2,279 members, or nearly 97 percent, supported the decision, while 72, or about three percent, voted against it.

Appointed as the chief negotiator for the writers union just weeks before 2023’s contract negotiations began, as the union’s then-executive director suddenly went on medical leave,...

The Writers Guild of America West’s annual financial report for the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2024, shows the impact of the 2023 strikes.

Writer employment and earnings in calendar year 2023 showed writers in all fields reporting declines in employment and earnings.

A total of 5,501 writers reported employment in all work areas in 2023, a 19.5% decline from 2022. Total writer earnings reported for dues purposes declined 31.8%, to $1.29 billion.

Earnings of television and digital platform writers reported to the Wgaw for 2023 declined 35.0%, to $916.6 million. Total employment was down 22.1% from 2022, with 4,441 writers reporting income from television and digital platforms.

Screenwriter earnings declined 22.4% in 2023 to $373 million. Screenwriter employment declined by 15.8%, with 1,918 writers reporting screen earnings in 2023.

In 2023, the WGA collected $598.50 million in residuals, a 3.5% increase from the previous year. Television residuals reached $396.37 million, which accounted for 66.2% of the total, and saw a 15.9% increase year-over-year.

Television new media residuals continued their predominance with $134.33 million collected, up by...

Longtime showrunner Tim Doyle, whose credits include Rules of Engagement, Last Man Standing and Better Off Ted, has been censured by the Writers Guild of America West for posting a “racist and offensive depiction of a lynching” on Facebook last year.

In a letter to members today (read it below), the union’s board of directors said that charges were initiated against Doyle after the August 9 post. “Mr. Doyle was charged with engaging in conduct prejudicial to the welfare of the Guild and unfair dealing with other members in violation of Article X.A., Section 1 of the Constitution,” the letter states.

Doyle has insisted that the drawing, posted during the TV and film writers strike, was intended as a joke. The drawing depicted a man hanging upside down from a tree.

Following a hearing in which evidence was presented and Doyle’s testimony taken, a union trial committee determined Doyle “guilty as charged.

The WGA West said today that it has settled an arbitration claim with CBS regarding work done by its members after writers rooms were closed on a trio of series. In a note to members, Wgaw leaders said the network will pay $3.05 million to two dozen affected writers on the dramas MacGyver, Seal Team and Hawaii Five-o.

“Guild members providing writing services on these series were required to continue working even though the studio had declared the rooms closed and stopped making weekly compensation and benefit contribution payments to the impacted writers,” the Wgaw’s letter said (read it in full below). “This is a violation of the Mba. Staff writers and Article 14 writers should receive weekly pay and benefit contributions for each week they provide writing services as outlined in the Mba.”

This $3.05 million settlement includes all the weekly pay, pension, health and parental leave contributions owed as well...

The Writers Guild of America West has negotiated a settlement with CBS over work that occurred after writers rooms were shut down on several shows that has awarded $3.05 million to 24 writers, union leaders informed members on Wednesday.

According to a member message, the settlement resulted from an arbitration claim that the union filed for writers on MacGyver, Seal Team and Hawaii 5-0. “Guild members providing writing services on these series were required to continue working even though the studio had declared the [writers] rooms closed and stopped making weekly compensation and benefit contribution payments to the impacted writers,” WGA West president Meredith Stiehm, vp Michele Mulroney and secretary-treasurer Betsy Thomas wrote. The WGA West contended that this practice violated its minimum basic agreement and that staff writers and so-called “Article 14 writers” (scribes who have a “story editor” title or higher) should have been paid weekly and received benefit contributions for that working period.

The TV Academy is being slammed by the Writers Guild of America for apparently making the decision to remove the presentation of the outstanding writing for a variety series/special award from the Primetime Emmys telecast that will take place on Jan. 15, 2024.

In a missive sent on Tuesday to members of the WGA East and West, the guild’s top leadership — including WGA East president Lisa Takeuchi Cullen and WGA West president Meredith Stiehm — calls the TV Academy’s move a “regrettable decision” and one “without any justification or defensible reason” which “devalues our profession.”

They go on to note that the guild has raised its objections directly with the TV Academy and is “strongly advocating to have the category remain in the primetime televised program.”

The TV Academy and its 2024 Emmys broadcasting partner Fox are presumably facing pressure to deliver higher telecast ratings by making the show shorter and...

The Writers Guild of America is doubling down on the Television Academy’s plans to cut the number of writing awards given out on the main Emmys telecast.

The guild has urged writers to “express your feelings” about the “regrettable” decision to remove the Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series/Special from the main primetime awards.

In a memo to members, the WGA said that the TV Academy made the decision “without any justification or defensible reason.”

It comes after the Emmys unveiled the category breakdown this month. Later that day, the WGA told Deadline that the decision to reduce the number of writing categories on the main telecast from four to three was “misguided given the essential role writers play in the creative process of variety series and generating value for this industry.”

The move means that Outstanding Variety Special (Live) will return to the live telecast as Outstanding...

The WGA has come out in favor of a boycott of hotels in Santa Monica affiliated with the American Film Market.

Hospitalities union Unite Here Local 11 is in the midst of a labor dispute with several hotels, including the Le Meridien Delfina, the new headquarters of the AFM, which kicked off Oct. 31 and runs through Sunday, Nov. 5. On Wednesday, the union held protests outside multiple AFM-affiliated hotels calling on market attendees to boycott them. The union, which has been holding rolling strikes since the July 4th weekend, is calling for “a living wage” for its members to allow them to afford to live in Los Angeles amid rising inflation and soaring housing costs. Unite Here has also called out the Le Meridien Delfina and other hotels for allegedly using unhoused refugees to replace workers during the strikes.

The WGA, which last month signed a new deal with AMPTP, ending the second-longest strike in its history,...

The Writers Guild of America West’s officers have spoken out against the Hamas terror attacks, following weeks of maintaining a controversial group silence. In an email sent to members on Tuesday morning, which TheWrap has obtained, the guild’s officers stated, “All of us in Guild leadership are horrified by the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7th.” The statement was signed by President Meredith Stiehm, VP Michele Mulroney and Secretary-Treasurer Betsy Thomas.

The Hamas strikes against Israel left over 1,400 dead with hundreds taken hostage. Israel responded by hitting Gaza repeatedly with heavy airstrike bombardments that have left thousands killed and plunged the region into chaos.

“The murder of so many innocent people in Israel is an abomination,” the WGA leaders further noted Tuesday. “We deeply mourn the deaths of innocent Palestinians ensnared in the violence in Gaza. We feel for all our members who have been affected, directly and indirectly.

In the face of criticism, the Writers Guild of America West is explaining why it has so far not issued a statement on Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel — and decrying the “atrocities committed by Hamas.”

“The Guild’s decision not to issue a statement on the events of October 7th has caused pain within our membership that we did not intend,” top guild officers, including president Meredith Stiehm, vice president Michele Mulroney and secretary-treasurer Betsy Thomas, wrote WGA West members in an email on Tuesday. “We believe it is important to both explain our process and to attempt to rectify the situation, as well as to unequivocally state that antisemitism and Islamophobia have no place in this Guild.”

The officers explained that in the early days following the attacks, leaders were “horrified” but felt it was “outside the purview of a U.S. labor union representing writers to comment on it.

The Writers Guild of America West issued an apology to its members on Tuesday for the harm caused by its decision not to release a statement in the wake of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

The guild has faced withering criticism over the last week for failing to condemn the Hamas attacks, which took the lives of more than 1,400 people.

In a lengthy statement to members on Tuesday, the guild sought to explain its decision not to weigh in on the issue. The guild explained that it has generally taken stances on domestic issues pertaining to social justice or freedom of speech, while it has avoided international tragedies.

“We did not, for example, make a comment after Russia invaded Ukraine, nor on terrorist attacks in Somalia, Pakistan or elsewhere,” the guild said. “It can be an imprecise science for a labor union to pick and choose where it weighs in...

After weeks of outrage from members about its silence over the terror attack against Israel, the Writers Guild is finally speaking out.

“All of us in Guild leadership are horrified by the atrocities committed by Hamas on October 7th,” said WGA West boss Meredith Stiehm, VP Michele Mulroney and Treasurer Betsy Thomas in an email sent to members Tuesday morning.

Read the full WGA West letter below.

The surprise attacks left over 1,400 dead and hundreds taken hostage, with only four released so far in recent days. In response, with strong U.S. backing, Israel has hit Gaza repeatedly with heavy airstrike bombardments that have left thousands killed. Additionally, as the Idf amass on the border for an expected ground invasion, the government in Jerusalem has told Palestinians to evacuate Gaza City, creating a deeper humanitarian crisis.

“The murder of so many innocent people in Israel is an abomination, the WGA...

The Writers Guild of America West has re-elected Meredith Stiehm as its president and Michele Mulroney as its vice president in an unusual strike-era officer and board of directors election.

Incumbent Betsy Thomas won the seat for secretary-treasurer, beating out Jeffrey Thompson, in the voting period that ended on Tuesday. Other officer candidates included Rich Talarico, who had been running for president, and Isaac Gómez, who had been running for vice president. Voting took place between August 29 and Sept. 19 amid the ongoing writers’ strike, which began more than four months ago.

Candidates who won seats on the union’s board of directors included incumbents Adam Conover, Nicole Yorkin, Dailyn Rodriguez, Zoe Marshall and Dante W. Harper, as well as fresh candidates Molly Nussbaum, Scott Alexander and Rob Forman.

Three thousand seven hundred eighty-three valid ballots were cast in the election, which was administered by Votenet Solutions. Around 11,000 WGA West members were eligible to vote,...

Meredith Stiehm has been reelected as president of WGA West, in a strong show of support as the union’s strike continues into its fifth month.

Stiehm took 3,354 votes, easily defeating Rich Talarico, who took just 300 votes.

Two other officers were also reelected: Michele Mulroney, as vice president, and Betsy Thomas, as secretary-treasurer. Five board members were reelected, and three new members were also elected to the board.

Stiehm was the showrunner of “Cold Case” on CBS and “The Bridge” on FX. She was also a key figure in the union’s fight against agency packaging in 2019-21. She alleged that CAA, her former agency, collected almost as much for packaging “Cold Case” as she did for writing the show.

Since the strike began on May 2, Stiehm has described herself as a “wartime president,” and has said that the union is on the path to success.

“It’s been a long hot summer,...

Meredith Stiehm has been re-elected president of the WGA West, defeating Rich Talarico in a landslide.

A total of 3,783 valid ballots were cast, and Stiehm received 3,354 to Talarico’s 300. Stiehm’s running mates were also easily elected. Michele Mulroney, a member of the guild’s negotiating committee, was re-elected as vice president, and Betsy Thomas was re-elected as secretary-treasurer. Mulroney defeated Isaac Gómez, who’s currently serving as a strike captain, by a vote of 3,235 to 411. Thomas beat Jeffrey Thompson 3,182 to 421.

Stiehm’s re-election, which in effect was a referendum on the guild’s ongoing strike, comes the day before the Writers Guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers are scheduled to resume negotiations for a deal that, if successful, would end the WGA’s strike, which is in its 141st day.

Related: WGA West President Meredith Stiehm Says “Fair Deal” For Writers & Actors That “Shares The...

WGA West President Meredith Stiehm, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler and SAG-AFTRA national board members Frances Fisher and Shari Belafonte joined hundreds of striking writers and actors on the picket line today outside the main gate of Fox Studios in Century City.

Also on hand were Yvonne Wheeler, the newly elected president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, and Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, executive secretary treasurer of the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO.

Stiehm, noting that this is the 87th day of the writers strike, told the sign-carrying picketers gathered in front of the studio’s huge water fountain on Pico Boulevard: “If we want something enough and think it’s really worthwhile, we may have to struggle for it. That’s how you get things of value – you fight for it.”

Chanting “On strike, shut it down, L.A. is a union town,” the peaceful and cheerful picketers carried signs that read,...

Meredith Stiehm will seek a second two-year term as president of WGA West in the fall election, and the other top officials of the guild will also seek reelection.

Justine Bateman, the writer-director and former “Family Ties” star, is running for a spot on the WGA West board. Bateman has become outspoken on the need for tight regulation of artificial intelligence.

The guild announced its preliminary list of nominees on Wednesday. Stiehm, who has been active in both the agency campaign and the current strike, will run against challenger Rich Talarico, a “Key and Peele” writer who has faulted the guild for not doing more to fight back against the release of free clips of the show on YouTube.

Michele Mulroney is running for reelection as vice president, and Betsy Thomas is seeking another term as secretary-treasurer. They will run against Isaac Gomez and Jeffrey Thompson, respectively.

The WGA West has a 16-member board,...

The Writers Guild of America West is holding officer and board elections in the middle of its ongoing strike, which is now in its 51st day. Incumbent president Meredith Stiehm is seeking reelection and will face off against Rich Talarico – both of whom were selected by the guild’s nominating committee.

In the race for vice president, incumbent Michele Mulroney will face challenger Isaac Gómez, while in the contest for secretary-treasurer, incumbent Betsy Thomas will face Jeffrey Thompson.

The guild said Wednesday that the nominating committee also selected 24 candidates to run for eight open seats on the guild’s board of directors. They are incumbents Nicole Yorkin, Dailyn Rodriguez, Adam Conover, Dante W. Harper, and Zoe Marshall, and challengers Molly Nussbaum, Danielle Iman, Maggie Levin, Blake Masters, Rob Forman, Anthony Sparks, Justine Bateman, Alex O’Keefe, Jonterri Gadson, Leah Folta, Susannah Grant, Grant Scharbo, Safia M. Dirie, Sean Presant, Scott Alexander,...

The WGA Strong March and Rally for a Fair Contract has kicked off in LA with thousands of members of the guild including Damon Lindelof and Boots Riley taking to the parks and streets.

Damon Lindelof (Deadline)

Mrs. Davis exec producer Lindelof and Riley, whose Amazon series I’m A Virgo, starring Jharrel Jerome comes out this week, were joined by WGA leadership including WGA West President Meredith Stiehm, former President David Goodman, Vice President Michele Mulroney, Secretary-Treasurer Betsy Thomas and WGA board member Liz Alper as the group assembled in Pan Pacific Park.

Stiehm told Deadline that the writers are “motivated”. “Showing solidarity and energy and fight on day 51 of the strike… We’re certainly making the best of it,” she said, adding that the WGA is “open every day” for the AMPTP to get back to the negotiating table.

The march will then head west along along 3rd Street,...

Apple may have entered the virtual reality arena earlier today with the unveiling of a new platform and headset, launched with the help of Disney boss Bob Iger, but in the real world it spent the day being targeted by writers.

The WGA decided to leaflet outside Apple’s HQ as well as in various cities including LA, New York and Washington, DC.

In LA, a slew of writers went from protesting outside of Television City to The Grove, where Apple has one of its stores and handed out information about the strike to consumers interested in new iPhones and laptops.

WGA leadership, including former presidents Patric Verrone and David Goodman, as well as Secretary Treasurer Betsy Thomas, lead a march to leaflet at the Apple Store at the Grove #WritersStrike pic.twitter.com/xnnJC0qkxc

— Deadline Hollywood (@Deadline) June 5, 2023

Former WGA West President David Goodman told Deadline that it...

A group of top showrunners met today to discuss the WGA strike – a day after it emerged the studios told writer/producers were not excused from producing duties during the labor action.

The meeting was held at the WGA Theater in Beverly Hills with the likes of Damon Lindelof, Shawn Ryan, Steve Levitan, Justin Spitzer, David E. Kelley, Bill Lawrence and David Steinberg in attendance.

It comes after the majority of studios, including Warner Bros. Discovery, Disney and Paramount sent out letters to showrunners, telling them to continue to produce.

“Those studio emails have had the opposite intended effect now,” one showrunner who attended today’s gathering told Deadline. “Now we are more united, more convinced than ever that there is no non-writing aspect of what we do.”

“Scary times but writers are united,” said another who attended.

Showrunners have warned that everything they do is writing and many have...

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David Schulner’s hands are filled with picket signs, but it’s only a minute or so before they’re empty and he heads back into the van for a new batch. A long line of hundreds of Writers Guild of America members stretches down L.A.’s North Van Ness Avenue next to Sunset Bronson Studios, where Netflix’s production offices are located.

“Write down on the signs what show you were working on,” Schulner tells his fellow guild members as the signs get handed out. “Or write down what show was screwing you.”

Schulner, creator of the NBC medical drama “New Amsterdam,” remembers when he helped put together picket signs at the WGA offices for the 2007 writers’ strike. Now, he and thousands of WGA members are back on the...

As the Writers Guild of America’s negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers is about to enter the final week before their contract expires, both sides are hopeful it won’t take a strike to get a deal done. But the WGA’s long battle with the talent agencies showed it can reach agreements with even the most intractable of mega-companies.

Four years ago today, on April 22, 2019, more than 7,000 WGA members fired their agents en masse – a show of solidarity at the start of the guild’s historic two-year campaign to reshape the talent agency business that still is playing out today, emboldening the guild in its ongoing negotiations with the studios for a new film and TV contract.

Five days before the mass firings, the WGA filed a lawsuit against the Big Three agencies that sought to establish that packaging – in which the major talent...

There is a major change in the WGA negotiating team ahead of the March 20 start of talks with studios on a new contract. Wgaw Executive Director David Young, who has spearheaded multiple bargaining campaigns on behalf of the writers, is going on a medical leave of absence starting today, the guild’s leadership told members in an email this afternoon.

“Wgaw Assistant Executive Director Ellen Stutzman will serve as chief negotiator for the 2023 Mba negotiations,” the letter said. “Ellen has earned the confidence and full support of the Wgaw Board, Wgae Council, and the WGA Negotiating Committee. She will lead a staff with decades of experience negotiating and enforcing the Mba, and organizing and mobilizing members to support the Guilds’ contract campaigns.”

No additional information about Young’s condition or expected return day has been revealed but the guild’s officers wished him a full recovery on behalf of the entire membership.

Click here to read the full article.

The Writers Guild of America has named its negotiating committee for the pivotal 2023 round of contract talks covering film and television projects, the first to occur since Covid-19 disrupted the last round of talks two years ago.

With WGA West executive director David Young serving as chief negotiator, the 2023 negotiating committee overseeing the WGA’s Basic Agreement will be co-chaired by former WGA West presidents David Goodman and Chris Keyser. Prominent Guild members including John August, Kay Cannon, Mike Schur, David Shore and Davis Simon will serve on the negotiating committee, as well as WGA West leaders Meredith Stiehm, Michele Mulroney and Betsy Thomas and WGA East leaders Michael Winship, Lisa Takeuchi Cullen and Christopher Kyle.

Other members of the committee include WGA West board members Adam Conover, Angelina Burnett, Robb Chavis, Travis Donnelly, Ashley Gable, Eric Haywood and Nicole Yorkin and WGA...

The Writers Guild of America has tapped former presidents David Goodman and Chris Keyser to co-chair the guild’s negotiating committee, leading the fight on what are sure to be difficult bargaining with Hollywood’s major players in the first half of next year.

The WGA’s master contract covering most film and TV production is set to expire on May 1. With numerous economic issues and concerns about working conditions for middle-class writers, the negotiations are expected to be intense at a time when the TV and film sectors are in the throes of a messy transition to internet-delivered content on an increasingly on-demand basis.

Goodman, a showrunner known for his work with Seth MacFarlane on “Family Guy” and “The Orville,” is revered among WGA membership for successfully waging a three-year campaign against the top talent agencies that allowed the guild to ban the practice of agencies receiving packaging fees...

Exclusive: It’s been a while since we’ve had a raunchy female feature comedy– arguably since 2017’s Girls Trip, however, here comes D-Day from Spyglass Media Group with Schitt’s Creek‘s Emily Hampshire attached to star.

The pic, written by One Day at a Time scribes Becky Mann, Audra Sielaff and Andy Roth follows newly divorced and sexually inexperienced Kate, as she’s encouraged by her friends to get back out there. Of course Kate has certain standards so she’s not going to settle for just anyone but she’s determined to make her ex’s wedding day her D-Day.

Betsy Thomas, the creator of TBS’ My Boys, will be making her feature directorial debut here.

Thomas tells Deadline, “I am so thrilled to work with the immensely talented Emily Hampshire to bring this hilariously randy script to life.”

D-Day is produced by Level 1 Entertainment’s Bill Todman Jr and Edward Milstein (Grandma’s Boy). Spyglass’ Chairman and CEO, Gary Barber, and Peter Oillataguerre, President of Production, are executive producing with Oillataguerre and Chris Stone, VP of Production & Development, overseeing the project on behalf of Spyglass. Limor Hakim is co-producing for Level 1 Entertainment.

For six seasons, Hampshire played Stevie Budd on the Emmy-winning series Schitt’s Creek. She can currently be seen in Chapelwaite on Epix and in the upcoming thriller series The Rig on Amazon. Hampshire will release her first graphic novel Amelia Aierwood: Basic Witch in partnership with Z2 Comics this October and is set to co-write, executive produce and star as the title character in the Norman Lear reboot of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.

In addition to My Boys, Thomas has also directed episodes of NBC’s Superstore and ABC’s Home Economics.

Mann and Sielaff’s writing credits also include FX’s It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Fox’s Raising Hope and ABC’s The Real O’Neals. Roth’s credits include Amazon’s With Love, Netflix’s Paradise Pd and FX’s Anger Management.

Hampshire is repped by Atlas Artists, Paradigm, Creative Drive Artists, ID and Felker Toczek Suddleson Abramson McGinnis Ryan. Thomas is repped by CAA, Artists First and Jacoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein. Mann & Sielaff are repped by Culture Creative and Myman Greenspan Fox Rosenberg Mobasser Younger & Light Llp. Roth is repped by Verve and Jacoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein. Level 1 Entertainment is repped by Jeff Finkelstein of Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka Finkelstein & Lezcano.

More than 400 prominent female writers and showrunners sent a letter today to the heads of the major studios expressing their “grave concerns” about the companies’ “lack of specific production protocols” to protect their workers in anti-abortion states.

The letters, which state that “it is unacceptable to ask any person to choose between their human rights and their employment,” also demanded that the companies “pledge to discontinue all political donations to anti-abortion candidates and political action committees immediately.”

Deadline has obtained a copy of the letter to Netflix, which organizers say was sent to top executives at Amazon Studios, AMC Networks, Apple, Disney, Lionsgate, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount Global, , and Warner Bros. Discovery.

The letters, whose signers include Ava DuVernay, Shonda Rhimes, Amy Schumer, Marta Kauffman, Callie Khouri, WGA West vice president Michele Mulroney and WGA West secretary-treasurer Betsy Thomas, said that “this situation raises basic matters of equality, health, and safety in the workplace.

Exclusive: Former ICM Partners TV literary and packaging agent Katie Cates is becoming a manager at Artists First. Cates spent the last eight years at ICM where she worked with writers, directors, actors, comedians and musicians. She is among the slew of ICM agents who departed on the eve of the agency’s acquisition by CAA last month.

At ICM, Cates worked with such established writer/showrunners as John Shiban (Ozark), Meredith Lavender and Marcie Ulin (The Flight Attendant), Matthew Carnahan (House of Lies) and Christy Stratton (Modern Family), Michelle Nader (Dollface), Karin Gist (Our Kind of People) Betsy Thomas (My Boys), Angeli Millan (Boomerang) and Matthew Newman (The Great Game), in addition to up-and-coming voices such as Marcos Luevanos (Love Victor), Emilia Serrano (Promised Land), Michelle Badillo (A League of Their Own), writer/director Becca Gleason (While You Were Breeding), creators Tim Schauer & Kuba Soltysiak (Boo Bitch) and playwrights...

WGA leaders, saying that they’ve reached a “critical time” in contract negotiations with Audacy (formerly CBS Radio), are asking their members to join a letter-writing campaign to urge the U.S.’ second-largest radio company to agree to a fair contract for guild members employed at radio stations Knx Los Angeles, Wcbs New York City and Wbbm Chicago.

WGA West and WGA East leaders, who are in contract talks with the company, said in a communique to members Friday that they are “determined to get a fair deal for these members, however, we are now facing the largest obstacle to an agreement-protecting the future of the WGA pension plan at Knx, Wcbs and Wbbm. Audacy has thus far refused to make the necessary level of pension fund contributions for its news writers.”

“We are at a critical time in the campaign,” WGA West President Meredith Stiehm, Vice President Michele Mulroney,...

The Writers Guild Theater, which has been open for screenings since April, is implementing a proof-of-vaccination-and booster-policy as the latest Covid-19 subvariant, BA.5, surges across L.A. County.

WGA West leaders are also laying down the law, telling members that “quarreling with staff will not be tolerated” if they’re turned away because they forgot to bring their vaccination card, or don’t have one.

Masks, however, are optional, although “strongly” recommended. Here’s the link to the rules.

“We were thrilled to reopen the Writers Guild Theater for Guild Screenings in April, and we hope that you are enjoying the selection of films,” WGA West President Meredith Stiehm, Vice President Michele Mulroney, and Secretary-Treasurer Betsy Thomas wrote in an email sent to members tonight.

“We would like to take a moment to remind you the Guild has implemented a Covid-19 vaccination and booster policy for attendance to Guild Screenings.

Maggie Haskins has a new title at Artists First: She’s been upped to partner.

Having started at the company more than 12 years ago as an intern, Haskins is considered an integral part of the company. Her focus is on female representation in front of and behind the camera, with clients like writer/producer Jen D’Angelo (Hocus Pocus 2), Stephanie Laing (Physical), Charmaine Bingwa (The Good Fight), Betsy Thomas (My Boys), Tawny Newsome (Space Force), comedian Heather McMahan, and Full Frontal with Samantha Bee head writer Kristen Bartlett.

She’s also producing the untitled sister comedy feature alongside her colleague Itay Reiss; it’s from Gloria Sanchez Productions at 20th for Hulu and stars Awkwafina and Sandra Oh. It was written by D’Angelo.

“I am so honored and thrilled to join the partnership at Artists First,” Haskins said in a statement. “I am grateful that from day one,...

Maggie Haskins has been added as a partner at management and production company Artists First.

Haskins began at Artists First as an intern 12 years ago. Since then, she has become an essential arm of the company, emphasizing female representation in her work by advocating to have more women in positions of power in the entertainment industry, as well as in front of and behind the camera.

“I am so honored and thrilled to join the partnership at Artists First,” Haskins wrote in a statement accompanying the news. “I am grateful that from day one, my partners and colleagues believed in and supported me. This has been an incredible journey so far, and I look forward to continuing to work on behalf of our inspiring clients. This might be the thing that will finally help stop my mom from mistakenly calling me an agent.”

Haskins’ clients include Stephanie Laing, Rob Riggle,...

The WGA West is calling on Hollywood to consider not shooting films and TV shows in states that ban abortions. The move comes in the wake of a leaked draft opinion by a 5-4 majority of the Supreme Court that would overturn Roe v. Wade and let states decide whether to ban abortions.

“In light of the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion on abortion rights, we want to reaffirm our Guild’s commitment to fighting on our members’ behalf against inequality and discrimination,” the guild’s board of directors said in a statement. “Women’s rights are human rights, and any laws that ban or limit a woman’s right to choose are dangerous and set a precedent for further erosion of our collective civil rights. We call on our employers to consider the laws of each state when choosing production locations to ensure that our members will never be...

Women and minority film and TV writers have made “significant” hiring gains since 2010, according to the WGA West’s latest Inclusion & Equity Report, which found that the percentage of screenwriters employed under the guild’s contract who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (Bipoc) has quadrupled over the past 11 years.

According to the report, the percentage of working Bipoc screenwriters increased from only 5.2 in 2010 to 22.6 in 2020, which was up from 20.2 in the prior year. Over that same timespan, the percentage of Bipoc staff TV writers nearly tripled – from 13.6 in 2010 to 37 in 2020, which was up from 35.3 the year before.

Women writers have also made impressive gains. According to the report, the percentage of women employed as screenwriters increased from 17.2 in 2010 to 29.6 in 2020, which was up from 26.5 in 2019. Over that same time period, the percentage of women employed as TV staff writers has grown from 29.3 to 45.3, which was up from 43.5 in...

After another politically and socially turbulent year, the Writers Guild of America is ready to celebrate the best that its members have to offer, while reflecting on the ever-changing social and entertainment landscape.

The WGA’s annual awards event, a joint venture between Wgaw and Wgawe, will be held on Sunday, March 20th, and similar to last year, will be handled as a virtual event. With Covid still firmly lingering in the space of the populace, the guild’s priorities have naturally shifted in ways that couldn’t have been anticipated, while still staying true to its collective core values.

This year’s WGA film award nominees represent a roster of high-caliber talent. Nominees in the Original Screenplay category Aaron Sorkin (“Being the Ricardos”), Adam McKay & David Sirota (“Don’t Look Up”), Wes Anderson & Roman Coppola & Hugo Guinness & Jason Schwartzman, Zach Baylin (“King Richard”), and Paul Thomas Anderson (“Licorice Pizza”). Adapted...

The WGA West is calling on Hollywood to reconsider filming in Florida if Gov. Ron DeSantis signs the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill passed by the state’s legislature last week.

“We urge all WGA signatory companies to reassess not only their political giving, but also where they choose to spend their production dollars,” the guild said in a statement Tuesday. “Show, don’t tell, that you value the LGBTQ+ community.”

The Florida bill, and others like it pending elsewhere around the country, makes it illegal for teachers to discuss gay and transgender issues with students in kindergarten through third grade. The bill states that “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3.” Passage of the bill has set off a firestorm of protests.

DeSantis, a strong supporter of the legislation, is expected to sign it in the coming days.

The WGA has lifted its ban on members working for Constantin Film Development, the powerhouse German production company behind such films as the Resident Evil franchise, Downfall and The Baader Meinhof Complex.

The guild issued the do-not-work order in October because of the company’s “refusal to pay residuals for most foreign reuse,” and for not making pension and health contributions for some writers.

In lifting the order, WGA West leaders told their members on Friday that “Constantin has reached an agreement with the Guild regarding the payment of foreign residuals and pension and health contributions. The parties have also settled the pending arbitration claim, which will result in the company paying $1.1 million in residuals due to writers. Therefore, effective immediately, Constantin is once again a WGA signatory company and WGA members can perform writing services for it.”

In their message, WGA West president Meredith Stiehm, vice president Michele Mulroney...

More than 50 prominent showrunners, including J.J. Abrams, Shonda Rhimes and Mike Schur, have signed the WGA West’s Safe and Inclusive Workplace Pledge, committing to “partner with the guild in developing best practices proven to drive change, alongside support programs for the wider show-running community that ensure every leader has the tools and understanding necessary to create workplaces in which all members can thrive.”

The guild’s Showrunner Initiative Committee said in a message to the guild’s members, “As a writer community, we can help create a new culture, one in which abuse and discrimination cannot thrive.”

The pledge states: “As union members, mistreatment of one of us is a problem for all of us. For the last four years, there has been an evolving conversation about addressing sexism, racism, discrimination, and bullying in our industry. As showrunners, we believe this behavior should not be tolerated. And while the...

Talks are set to begin on Monday between the Writers Guild of America West and Constantin Film over a residuals dispute that led to union leaders calling on members to boycott the company, the German mini-major says.

On Friday, Guild president Meredith Stiehm, vice president Michele Mulroney and secretary-treasurer Betsy Thomas wrote members of the writers’ union that “effective immediately WGA members are prohibited under Working Rule 8 from working for Constantin Film Development, Inc. (Constantin), which is not signatory to the 2020 Mba.” Working Rule 8 from the Guild’s Code of Working Rules deems that “No ...

Writers Guild of America West leaders have ordered the union’s members to stop working with Constantin Film over a residuals and health and pension plan contributions dispute.

On Friday, Guild president Meredith Stiehm, vice president Michele Mulroney and secretary-treasurer Betsy Thomas wrote members of the writers’ union that “effective immediately WGA members are prohibited under Working Rule 8 from working for Constantin Film Development, Inc. (Constantin), which is not signatory to the 2020 Mba.” Working Rule 8 from the Guild’s Code of Working Rules deems that “No member shall accept employment with, nor option or sell ...

Updated: German production company Constantin Film has hit back at the Writers Guild of America, which advised its members on Friday not to work for the outfit as it is not a signatory to the 2020 Minimum Basic Agreement.

In a statement shared with Variety, Constantin Film said that it “has paid, and the WGA Plan has accepted, all WGA fringe payments.” Further, the “Resident Evil” producer said a planned arbitration process around the dispute will begin as early as Monday.

“Constantin and the WGA disagree over the interpretation of the Mba regarding the calculation of residuals,” continues the statement. “The arbitration of that dispute has been long scheduled and will begin on Monday, November 1. Constantin believes the parties should respect the arbitration process and abide by the results. Constantin has always worked, and will continue to work, with the WGA and all its members in good faith.”

The WGA instructed...

The WGA has told its members not to work for Constantin Film Development, the powerhouse German production company behind such films as the Resident Evil franchise, Downfall and The Baader Meinhof Complex.

“The Guild has an ongoing serious dispute with Constantin because of its refusal to pay residuals for most foreign reuse. Constantin has also failed to pay pension and health contributions for some writers,” WGA West president Meredith Stiehm, vice president Michele Mulroney and secretary-treasurer Betsy Thomas said in a message sent to their members Friday.

“It is crucial,” they said, “that Constantin be prevented from undercutting writers’ standards and conditions. While the Guild is working to resolve this situation as soon as possible, until then Constantin cannot be allowed to benefit from writing services provided by WGA members.”

“Effective immediately,” they said, “WGA members are prohibited under Working Rule 8 from working for Constantin Film Development, Inc. which is not signatory to the 2020 Mba.

The major entertainment unions issued a joint statement of solidarity with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees on Friday, as the craft union looks towards a strike authorization vote next week.

The statement was signed by the heads of SAG-AFTRA, the Directors Guild of America, the Writers Guild of America, East, and the Teamsters.

“On behalf of our hundreds of thousands of members working across film and television, we stand in solidarity with our I.A.T.S.E. brothers, sisters and kin,” the labor leaders said in the statement. “The basic quality of life and living wage rights they’re fighting for in their negotiations are the issues that impact all of us who work on sets and productions. We stand with the I.A.T.S.E.”

Talks between IATSE and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have broken down. The union seeks improvements on meal and rest periods,...

Meredith Stiehm has been elected president of the Writers Guild of America, West, succeeding David Goodman, who stepped down after four years on the job.

Stiehm ran unopposed, as did her slate of officers. Michele Mulroney was elected vice president and Betsy Thomas was elected secretary-treasurer.

“It is an honor to serve the membership as Wgaw President,” Stiehm said in a statement. “I look forward to working with Michele, Betsy, and the Board of Directors to advance an agenda that builds on the progress our union has made for writers and addresses the challenges we face in our creative and economic lives.”

Stiehm was a producer on shows such as “Homeland,” “Cold Case,” “ER” and “NYPD Blue.” She is also a veteran of the guild’s bruising recent battle with the agencies, which led to the end of packaging. Stiehm served as one of the counter-claimants in the WGA’s suit against the agencies,...

The Writers Guild of America West announced the results of its latest elections on Tuesday, including formally declaring “Cold Case” creator Meredith Stiehm as the next president of the guild.

Stiehm ran unopposed in the election, as did incoming vice president Michele Mulroney and secretary-treasurer Betsy Thomas. Stiehm will succeed outgoing president David A. Goodman, who successfully led the WGA in a campaign to direct talent agencies to phase out packaging fees in order to continue representing members.

Stiehm, who previously served on the Wgaw Board of Directors with Mulroney and Thomas, played a role in the packaging fee campaign as a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed by the Writers Guild against Hollywood’s top agencies, alleging that CAA had packaged “Cold Case” without her knowledge or consent and, she claimed, “ended up making 94 cents for every dollar that I earned.” The lawsuit was dropped after CAA, UTA, WME and...