Production of Deadpool 3 Comes to a Halt as a Result of Actors' Strike

Deadpool 3's production has come to a halt due to strike action initiated by the Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA). In a recent report by Variety, it was revealed that the cast and crew of the R-rated MCU film suspended filming on July 14. Actors from the movie also joined the picket lines alongside members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) after the actors union failed to reach a new contract agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) following four weeks of negotiations.

The strike by the WGA began on May 2, resulting in a pause in writing duties for films and TV shows. However, certain productions were able to continue filming if their scripts were already completed. The concurrent strikes by both writers and actors will have significant repercussions for the entertainment industry.

Among the major productions affected by the strike, Deadpool 3 is one of the first to suspend its production. This pause comes shortly after filming had commenced. In May, Stefan Kapicic, who plays Colossus in the film, confirmed through an Instagram Story that cameras had started rolling on the highly anticipated threequel despite the ongoing WGA strike.

On July 10, a photo from the set was released, offering fans a glimpse of Hugh Jackman's Wolverine alongside Ryan Reynolds, the star of Deadpool. The two actors appeared together in their respective superhero costumes, with Jackman donning Wolverine's iconic yellow and blue suit known from the X-Men comics.

In addition to Jackman, Jennifer Garner is also reported to be reprising her role as Elektra in Deadpool 3. She joins a cast that includes Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Shioli Kutsuna as Yukio, Stefan Kapicic as Colossus, Morena Baccarin as Vanessa, Rob Delaney as Peter, Karan Soni as Dopinder, and Leslie Uggams as Blind Al.

Originally, Deadpool 3 was scheduled for a May 2024 release, but the production shutdown may result in a delay depending on the duration of the strikes. The unified front presented by both guilds grants them increased bargaining power. However, reports suggest that Hollywood studios intend to wait out the strike until at least October before taking further action.