Hollywood writers and producers could be nearing an agreement to end the strike that has paralyzed the entertainment industry, as high-level talks enter a second day on Thursday with major studio heads now at the table.
A source close to the negotiations told NBC News that talks Wednesday were “productive” and that there was hope for “more progress” as high-level executives attended the negotiations for the first time since the strike began months ago.
On Wednesday night, the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers released a joint statement saying both sides had met for bargaining and planned to meet again the following day.
The AMPTP is a trade group that bargains for the major studios and streaming services. (The group represents NBCUniversal, the parent company of NBC News.)
Until now talks have been led by top AMPTP staffers and labor relations representatives, but studio heads including Disney’s Bob Iger and Netflix’s Ted Sarandos have now taken a seat at the table, the source said — signaling a potentially significant shift.
CNBC reported that the two sides hope to finalize a deal Thursday.