The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP)’s refusal to negotiate with writers has left Daredevil: Born Again fans in the lurch. The Daredevil: Born Again shoot at Silvercup East was picketed by striking writers walking for a fair wage and contract terms. After today’s action, Marvel shut down production on Daredevil for at least the rest of the week. A return date is still in limbo.
Reports indicated that the members of IATSE and the Teamsters refused to cross the picket line that started at sunrise, around call time for the series. Earlier this week, the Daredevil set was shut down too and last week, similar picketing at Silvercup shut down on the newest American Horror Story.
WGA members on strike set up a sunrise picket at Silvercup East, where they’re supposed to be filming “Daredevil,” but members of the Teamster Local 817 and IATSE Locals 829 and 52 are refusing to cross the picket line. #ShutItDown #SolidarityForever #WGAStrike #WGAStrong #1u pic.twitter.com/omg6xpQl48
— Writers Guild of America East (@WGAEast) May 8, 2023
The writers are striking for fair wages, no more free work, protection against AI, and more. Disney owns Marvel Studios and they are a member of the AMPTP. The AMPTP walked away from the negotiating table. The set shut down is a testament to the power of the WGA’s collective action and it speaks to how effective it is.
To be clear, we’d all rather be working. The hope is sooner rather than later the AMPTP will come back to the table and seriously negotiate about streaming residuals, mini-rooms, and AI. 2/3
— Warren Leight (@warrenleightTV) May 10, 2023
A tentpole to Marvel’s Disney+ strategy
Daredevil: Born Again was announced at a Marvel panel at San Diego’s Comic-Con in 2022. The announcement was very splashy, and fans were excited and had been eagerly anticipating filming. When location signs appear on telephone poles and elsewhere, they spread quickly around Twitter and other sites.
The cast for the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again features several actors from the original Netflix series, with Charlie Cox reprising his role as Matt Murdock / Daredevil, Vincent D’Onofrio as Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin, and Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle / The Punisher. New talent has jointed the show, too, but their roles are under wraps. The new cast members include Michael Gandolfini, Sandrine Holt, and Nikki M. James.
Daredevil: Born Again will have18 episodes. The writers’ room for the series is filled with a talented TV writing bunch. Matt Corman and Chris Ord created USA’s Covert Affairs and are show-running Daredevil. The show was supposed to film through December of this year.
Where is Daredevil: Born Again filming?
There are a number of locations across the greater NYC area where Daredevil: Born Again is filming. The production is using the working title “Out the Kitchen,” and the production company “Blind Faith Productions LLC,” and signs have popped up from Harlem to Silvercup Studios East.
What is the WGA strike?
The 2023 Writers Guild of America strike is an ongoing labor dispute between the WGA and the AMPTP. Pencils were down at 12:01 a.m. on May 2, 2023, although the AMPTP reportedly walked away from negotiations earlier that evening.
It is the most extensive interruption to Hollywood production since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and the most significant labor stoppage for the WGA since the 2007–08 strike. (The last WGA action was when the guild members collectively fired their agents in 2019 over packaging.)
The WGA called the strike after months of negotiations between the WGA and the AMPTP failed to produce an agreement on a new contract. Notably, the AMPTP refused to negotiate with the WGA on a number of points. Since calling for a strike, WGA members and supporters have picketed tirelessly outside studios and productions.
The WGA took to Twitter to share their positions and the responses from the AMPTP. The WGA argued that their demands were fair and reasonable, and they invited the public to judge for themselves.
I'm incredibly proud of how transparent our union is. In the @WGAWest's strike announcement, we included a list of our proposals, and the AMPTP's responses. Read it for yourself: it explains in black and white we're forced to go on strike. pic.twitter.com/U2FLsv9Dob
— Adam Conover (@adamconover) May 2, 2023
Shifting release dates for Daredevil: Born Again
Daredevil: Born Again is scheduled to release sometime in the Spring of 2024, although it’s possible Marvel will move it and adjust the schedule. The made moves to shift things around before the strike. It’s likely that lost filming days will cause some date changes as well.
This is one of several disrupted Marvel productions. Last week, production was shut down on the set of Wonder-Man, starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. And pre-production on Marvel’s Blade movie has ended as well.
Losing filming days is expensive. It helps keep the pressure on the studios to negotiate with the writers and treat them fairly.
How to support the striking writers
Fans who wish to support the writers in their quest for fair pay and a fair contract can donate to the Entertainment Community Fund.
Join the conversation by leaving a comment or reacting on Twitter @MoviesWeTexted.
Looking for something to watch? Consider reading our review of Disney’s Peter Pan & Wendy.