Marvel’s Deadpool 3 is the first major film shoot to shut down due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, Variety(opens in a new tab) reports.
The news comes just hours into the actors’ strike, which formally began at midnight on July 14. The strike follows weeks of negotiation between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), where SAG-AFTRA brought up concerns including reduced income, residuals in the streaming era, and studios’ use of AI in filmmaking.
Deadpool 3 began filming in May 2023, with Ryan Reynolds returning as the titular smart-talking, fourth wall-breaking anti-hero. Hugh Jackman and Jennifer Garner were also reprising their prior superhero roles: Jackman as Wolverine, and Garner as Elektra. Just days before the SAG-AFTRA strike began, set photos(opens in a new tab) from Deadpool 3 showed Wolverine and Deadpool squaring off, as well as a ruined 20th Century Fox(opens in a new tab) logo. The film was originally slated for a May 3, 2024 release date, but as the strike continues, it’s likely Deadpool 3 won’t meet that goal. And sure, we’re all excited to watch Deadpool and Wolverine reunite, but postponing their reunion until SAG-AFTRA and the jointly striking WGA get their demands met sounds like a small price to pay.
