The WGA strike has reached the top level of all deals at Warner Bros. Television Group.
Sources tell that the studio has suspended a number of overall contracts for its top creatives, including JJ Abrams’ Bad Robot (Duster), Greg Berlanti (Superman & Lois), Chuck Lorre (Bob Heart’s Abishola), Bill Lawrence ( Shrinking). , John Wells (Maid), Mindy Kaling (Sex Lives of College Girls).
Representatives for Channing Dungey-led WBTVG declined to comment.
The news comes as the Writers Guild of America enters the fourth month of its strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers over issues including residuals, AI and streaming transparency.
The move is similar to lower-level writers’ contracts that were suspended during the first month of the strike in May, as studios immediately paused contracts for writers who went on strike. The impact now affects this group of mega-producers as producers. Although neither of them worked as writers, they were contractually obliged to continue working in their capacity as producers.
All six prolific producers are behind multiple shows and all have development projects in the studio that they have been working on. It is important to note that the contracts have been suspended and not canceled/dropped outright, because once the industrial action is complete, Warners will need its top producers to immediately resume writing and producing as the content pipeline continues to be tight.
The contract suspensions come as Hollywood’s studios and streamers that make up the AMPTP are now in cost-cutting mode as the writers’ strike continues to drag on well past the 100-day mark. Across the entertainment spectrum, layoffs have begun to impact companies like Roku and others. There are rumors that there will also be layoffs at NBCUniversal.