According to The Hollywood Reporter, many deals with NBCUniversal studio group have been suspended. The impact is suspected to pause writer-driven and non-writing producers work who have already been delayed due to the dual SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.
The Universal Studio Group has suspended both Lorne Michaels (Saturday Night Live, The Story of Late Night) and Dwayne Johnson’s (Black Adam, Red Notice) production companies. The former founded Broadway Video with the latter running Seven Bucks Productions. Both production companies are among the most high-profile affiliated with NBCUniversal. Many other deals have also been suspended, as the dual strikes creep up to week 20 of the ongoing labor feud between studios and the guilds.
Universal Studio Group is comprised of Universal Content Productions, Universal Pictures and Universal Television among many other divisions. The Hollywood Reporter reported that the “Universal Studio Group… reached out to its remaining writing and producing partners Monday to see if they were comfortable with contributing non-writing services.” That being said, it is made clear that those who still have active projects will not be impacted.
It’s been noted by The Hollywood Reporter that non-writing producers are those who will be the most heavily impacted. Warner Bros. Television Group has also suspended some of its top grossing producers, including but not limited to, Mindy Kaling (The Sex Lives of College Girls, The Office), J.J. Abrams (Star Trek, Super 8), Greg Berlanti (Love, Simon, Life as We Know It) and Bill Lawrence (Shrinking, Ted Lasso). It was predicted that both Universal and Paramount Global would follow suit.
Representatives for Universal Studio Group declined to comment on the matter. It is expected that many big-budget production companies are gearing up to follow the footsteps of Warner Bros. and NBCUniversal.