By Lisa Richwine and Dawn Chmielewski
Returning show producers started planning new episodes on Monday, the first steps to put Hollywood back to work after writers reached a tentative deal to end their nearly five-month strike.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA), which represents roughly 11,500 film and television writers, reached a preliminary three-year deal with major studios on Sunday. The agreement still must be approved by the union's leadership and members.
While actors remain on strike, late-night and daytime talk shows may resume production once their writers receive the Guild's greenlight to return to work in the coming days or weeks.
‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ is aiming to go back on the air in October, a source with knowledge of the plans said.
Barrymore had sparked a backlash by announcing she was going to bring the show back in mid-September, a decision she reversed.
Representatives for late-night shows such as ‘Saturday Night Live’ and ‘The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon’ had no comment on when they would air fresh episodes.
Scripted series will not be able to resume filming until the SAG-AFTRA actors union reaches an agreement with studios.
The actors walked off the job in July, demanding higher wages and limits to the use of artificial intelligence on screen.
Film and television producer Todd Garner said he expects that once actors reach a deal, scores of productions will race to restart at once.
"Remember during the pandemic, when Long Beach had all of those ships waiting?" said Garner, referring to the logjam of cargo ships stranded in the southern California port. "That's our business right now. I'm guessing there are 250 ships in the harbour right now."
Major television shows and movies are contractually in first position with actors, Garner said.
Work on uncompleted projects such his own movie, ‘Mortal Kombat 2,’ will need to be finished first, before other projects can get under way.