As Hollywood works on getting back to normalcy following the resolution of dual strikes, the Writers Guild of America is apparently not happy with the conduct of one studio in particular.
Industry newsletter The Ankler reports that the WGA sent a stern letter to Amazon Studios over shows whose development remains on pause nearly two months after the WGA strike ended in September. In a statement to The Ankler, the WGA said that, in failing to commence development on several series, Amazon Studios is in violation of Article 7 of the WGA and the AMPTP’s Memorandum of Agreement. Or, in the WGA’s words:
“Studios are obligated to return writers to work ‘upon termination of the strike,’ and writers’ Personal Services Agreements were extended for a period equal to the portion of the contract term that elapsed during the strike,” the statement provided to The Ankler reads.
The WGA makes it clear: it “will bring legal action against Amazon and any other studio that violates the STA to recover compensation, interest on late payments, and benefit contributions due as a result of the delay.”
Amazon Studios declined comment when reached by IGN. The WGA has not yet replied to IGN’s request for further comment.
Silk on Ice
Of note, one of the shows apparently still paused is Silk: Spider Society, the first of several planned spinoffs in Sony’s Spider-verse. Prime Video picked up the live-action series in 2022, headed up by former The Walking Dead showrunner Angela Kang and produced by Into the Spider-Verse’s Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.
In announcing that Silk would be headed to Prime Video, it seemed clear at the time that Amazon would be investing heavily in Spidey and the characters in the universe, inking a multi-series deal. Earlier this year, Amazon confirmed that a live-action Spider-Man Noir series was also in the works.
That makes it all the stranger, then, that the series apparently remains on ice following the strike. According to The Ankler, Silk was well into the writing process before the strike began, being “a number of episodes deep.” Representatives for Kang, Lord, and Miller have not yet responded to a request for comment.
What’s worse, The Ankler reports that the writers of Silk: Spider Society and several other Amazon series are not being paid as their shows remain on pause – yet, they’re unable to find new work while being contractually bound to their Amazon projects. Per the report, “a flurry” of agents and lawyers is now involved.
It’s only the latest development as Hollywood scrambles to get back into production following the resolutions of the writers’ strike and, as of earlier this month, the actors’ strike. Last week, Netflix canceled a number of shows, including Shadow and Bone, while Disney delayed a handful of big movies into 2025.
Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she's not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.
