Unless you have been living under a rock you know that the WGA or the Writers Guild of America has been under an authorization of strike since May 2, 2023. At its core the strike centers around residuals from streaming media and the use of AI. The last time that a strike occurred was in 2007 and 2008 we’re an estimated $2 billion was lost as productions shut down. This time it may prove to be more costly for the studios. How did it get this way?
With the rise of streaming media, the television market has been cut severely in terms of episodes in production with about 1/3 of what was seen in the 2013/2014 season. Adding to this the continuing threat of using artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT, has caused many writers to show concern about the security of any future employment. With the abbreviated seasons, writers are basically receiving the minimum allowed for their contributions. With the strike authorized, productions immediately ceased starting with late night television shows that relied on WGA members, and then to scripted television shows and films. With solidarity of the union the picket lines have formed and as such production and work has stopped.
What this means for San Diego Comic Con is uncertain at this time. Many studios have elected to skip the annual Hall H presentations with some not even coming to this year’s event. This contrasts with just a few years ago when studios such as Marvel Entertainment held tantalizing panels in Hall H and wowed audiences with new content. Several weeks ago, it was announced that HBO would skip the convention altogether and it appears that Netflix has followed suit. Recently, SAG (Screen Actors Guild) averted a strike to July 12th as negotiations between them and the major studios continue.
With all the talk about strikes let’s look at other ramifications that it may have on the convention itself. San Diego Comic-Con has been a mecca for Studios presenting the latest content to fans and has become the ideal place to see your product evolve. The convention that originally started with an emphasis on simply comic books has grown to host much more content from movies and television to everything in pop culture; a true celebration of the arts. Should the SAG strike receive authorization after July 12th it will mean that celebrities and talent will not be allowed to attend. There’s always exception to the rule if it’s an independent production or some other method but generally speaking, actors will not be allowed to attend. Should Comic Con become a picket line then no one of any of the crafts will be allowed to cross such a picket line. This may be disastrous for the convention who is still rebuilding after the pandemic. Comic-Con International accounts for over $165 million in tourism spending making it one of the biggest revenue generators for San Diego.
As a fan I have great concern for what we will or will not see at this year’s convention. While this may be a return to form that many have welcomed, it will be a notable absence of not having as much celebrity talent involved. Many have said that the show should return to its roots with more comic centered programming, but I don’t believe you can do this without involving Hollywood. With the popularization of comic books and the aging population involved in reading those comics, people are relating more and more to those properties. As such they want to be able to see the people who have been responsible for bringing some of their childhood memories to life. This holds true for any studio production, but we can attribute a lot of this explosion to the beginnings of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Attendees of this year’s San Diego Comic Con should still remain optimistic about the convention. There will be plenty of opportunities to see great programming and experience the exhibit hall floor. While plans are still being made we are pretty positive that this year’s event will definitely be one of the more memorable ones.
