The 2026 bargaining season produced new agreements for all three major Hollywood guilds, reshaping the labor landscape for writers, performers, and directors. This three part series gives entertainment practitioners a complete breakdown of each deal and what it signals for the industry going forward. Part one covers the WGA agreement, including enhanced residuals, adjustments to minimums, gains around streaming performance and AI transparency, and the significance of the deal’s negotiation process after the 2023 strike. Part two turns to the ratified SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatrical Agreement, a four year deal running through June 2030 with important changes to working rules, money breaks, residuals, and digital replica and artificial intelligence restrictions. Part three examines the DGA’s four year deal with the AMPTP, which closed out the bargaining season, walking through wage and fringe increases, updated AI provisions, and changes impacting pre-production, post-production, and on-screen credit.
Dan Stone of Kauff McGuire & Margolis LLP, Ryan Wedell of Sheppard, and David Shraga of Signature Resolution guide practitioners through the key provisions and what each agreement means for producers, talent, and future negotiations across the industry.
