Deadpool 3’s Absence From Disney’s Release Schedule Is Raising Eyebrows

In July of 2023, shortly after SAG-AFTRA joined the WGA on the picket lines against studios — and more on that in a bit — it was announced that “Deadpool 3” was halting production, disappointing fans everywhere. Not only are Jackman and Garner set to reprise their roles from the “X-Men” franchise and “Daredevil,” respectively, but on-set photos that were taken before the strikes went into effect showed a potential throwdown between Jackman’s Wolverine and Reynolds’ masked vigilante. Based on the success of the two previous “Deadpool” films and the return of two beloved characters to boot, this is all pretty thrilling. It will also apparently have to wait a while.

At the time, Variety reported that “Deadpool 3” was the first major studio to shut down production due to the strikes, and since then, other highly anticipated projects like “Gladiator 2” and “Wicked” have also stopped production while writers and actors fight for fair pay and against the advent of artificial intelligence technology. So let’s return to the strike of it all; why are actors and writers striking against studios, and how long can this go on?