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SAG-AFTRA Approves Temporary Deals to Restart Production for 'Walking Dead' Spinoffs and 'Interview With the Vampire'

SAG-AFTRA, the actors union, has reached temporary agreements to continue production on three high-profile AMC series. These series include two extensions of the Walking Dead universe and the adaptation of Interview With the Vampire. This development comes amidst the ongoing seven-week strike by SAG-AFTRA against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

To date, these shows represent the most significant television projects to secure interim agreements since the strike started in mid-July. Although not a member of the AMPTP, AMC Networks, the producer of all three series, is "authorised" by the alliance, committing to adhere to any contracts set between the AMPTP and industry unions. The temporary agreements pertain specifically to The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live—featuring the comeback of Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira—and Interview With the Vampire. These agreements do not extend to other AMC projects.

Production on Daryl Dixon had already commenced its second season in France before pausing for a pre-planned break, which coincided with the initiation of the strike. Similarly, Interview With the Vampire is set to resume its second-season filming in Prague after halting due to the strike. Meanwhile, The Ones Who Live wrapped up filming before the strike but will now proceed with post-production activities like extra dialogue recording, courtesy of the interim agreement.

These temporary accords have stirred some debate among union members, who argue they could undermine the strike's intent. Productions accepting these agreements must conform to the union's last contract offer before the strike, which includes an 11% increase in minimum wages and a revenue-sharing plan for streaming projects.

SAG-AFTRA modified its position on Aug. 14, stating that it won't extend these interim agreements to any U.S.-produced projects that are under a Writers Guild of America contract.

Other television productions that have secured temporary agreements include The Chosen, a biblical drama, Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction, a docu-series, and Tehran from Apple TV+. These three AMC series are expected to premiere in 2024. Kristin Dolan, the CEO of AMC Networks, noted in a recent earnings call that AMC and its affiliated networks have enough content to last well into the next year before running out.

By: A. Iqbal

Barbie' Outshines 'The Dark Knight' as Warner Bros.' Top Domestic Earner of All Time.

Greta Gerwig's enchanting comedy "Barbie" has garnered $537.5 million at the domestic box office, edging out Christopher Nolan's 2008 masterpiece "The Dark Knight" ($536 million) to claim the title of Warner Bros.' highest-grossing domestic release ever.

The film's box office momentum shows no signs of slowing down. In the imminent future, "Barbie" is projected to overtake Universal's animation "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" ($574 million) to become the leading domestic release of 2023. Given its current trajectory, with a global tally already at $1.2 billion, "Barbie" is poised to potentially surpass "Mario" ($1.35 billion) for the title of the year's top-grossing global release.

The journey of "Barbie" at the box office has been nothing short of spectacular. For four straight weekends, it has clinched the No. 1 spot. Within just 17 days of its release, it raced to join the elite $1 billion club, becoming the fastest Warner Bros. film and the eighth in the studio's centennial history to do so. There is speculation that it might even surpass 2011's "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" ($1.34 billion) as Warner Bros.' all-time highest worldwide earner. Earlier in its release cycle, "Barbie" achieved the year's biggest opening with $162 million, outperforming "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" ($146 million). Notably, it also set a new record for the largest debut for a female-directed film, besting Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck’s 2019 hit “Captain Marvel” ($153 million).

Margot Robbie, the film's luminary portraying the emblematic Barbie, is reaping significant rewards for her pivotal contribution to the movie's monumental success. As the leading actor and producer of this summer sensation, she's poised to earn an estimated $50 million, comprising both her salary and box office bonuses, as per a previous report by Variety. Gerwig is also anticipated to earn substantial bonuses, a testament to the film's outstanding achievements.