The Writer’s Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have reached a tentative deal that could get writers back to work after 147 days on the picket line. 

The detente between the writers union and Hollywood’s major studios comes in the form of a three-year agreement that the WGA says is “exceptional—with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector.” Union members still need to approve the deal before it can take effect, and a vote is expected to take place tomorrow. More details will be shared once the contract is finalized. 

Over the course of the last five months, the writer’s strike has brought a lot of productions to a standstill, as well as preventing studios from moving forward with new projects and triggering show cancellations. The WGA’s 11,000 members are technically still on strike today, but they have ceased picketing.

Unfortunately, this deal doesn’t mean the entertainment industry will be able to go back to business as usual. SAG-AFTRA is still striking, and its negotiating committee put out a statement yesterday to show support for the WGA. “We applaud your dedication, diligence and unwavering solidarity over the last five months and are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with you as creative partners.” 

According to the statement, SAG-AFTRA is waiting to resume its own negotiations with AMPTP “as soon as [the studio organization is] prepared to engage on our proposals in a meaningful way.”

Picture courtesy of Kaitlyn Baker via Unsplash