“Deadpool 3” has stopped filming as the SAG-AFTRA strike gets underway, with performers joining Writers Guild of America members on the picket lines. The Marvel sequel is one of the first major productions to be impacted by the new strike.
News of the production suspension comes only days after “Deadpool 3” provided audiences with a first look at the set, releasing a photograph of stars Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman suited up as Deadpool and Wolverine, respectively. News also recently broke that Jennifer Garner would appear in the film as Elektra, having previously starred in the role in 2003’s “Daredevil” and the 2005 spinoff film “Elektra.”
“Deadpool 3” reunites Reynolds with his “Free Guy” director Shawn Levy. The film will be the first series entry released by the Walt Disney Company, after the studio’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019. The threequel has been slated for a May 3, 2024 release in theaters — a goalpost that is now in jeopardy due to the production halt.
When the WGA approved a strike order in May, television programs like NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” and late-night talk shows were the first to cease operations. “Deadpool 3” had managed to navigate the writers strike, continuing production through recent weeks. The sudden suspension of filming foreshadows the industry-wide stasis that’s now in store with screen actors on the picket lines.
The SAG-AFTRA union represents around 160,000 performers including actors, announcers, hosts, DJs, stunt performers and broadcast journalists, all who are currently seeking wage equity and improved working conditions amid an ever-changing Hollywood landscaped altered by streaming platforms and artificial intelligence. SAG talks came to an end on July 12 at midnight PT following a 12-day extension period after contracts were set to expire on June 30.
Additional reporting by K.J. Yossman.
