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'Terminator 4' a Go Despite Strike Fears

By Sue Zeidler,
Reuters
Posted: 2008-05-08 11:18:59
Filed Under: Movie News
LOS ANGELES (May 8) - He'll be back -- Hollywood strike or no strike!

Cameras began rolling this week on the latest "Terminator" movie -- estimated to cost about $150 million -- for what many Hollywood watchers say is a late start given concerns that labor tensions could lead to an actors strike by July.

"Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins," began shooting Monday in New Mexico, bucking a trend in which studios have mostly avoided launching new productions they cannot be sure of completing before the Screen Actors Guild contract expires on June 30, a date being treated as a facto strike deadline.

SAG and Hollywood's major studios hit a stalemate Tuesday after three weeks of talks, stoking fears of renewed Hollywood labor unrest after a 100-day screenwriters strike that ended in February.

Union leaders say they still hope to reach a deal without resorting to a walkout, and SAG has yet to even seek authorization from its 120,000 members to call a strike.

But with tens of millions of dollars at stake in making a movie, few studios and filmmakers are taking any chances. One exception is the team behind "Terminator."

Warner Bros, a unit of Time Warner Inc , is the U.S. distributor for the fourth "Terminator" starring Christian Bale and set to reach theaters in May 2009. Sony Corp's Sony Pictures is handling international distribution.

The two studios had a similar deal for 2003's "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines," which grossed $433 million worldwide and was the last film in the franchise to star Arnold Schwarzenegger as the unstoppable cyborg from the future who made the line, "I'll be back," a worldwide catchphrase.

RISKY BUSINESS


A source familiar with the latest sequel said filmmakers have no intention of wrapping production by June 30 and have taken legal precautions in case of a work stoppage. A second person close to the film's production will go on hiatus if there is a strike, but others said that is a risky endeavor.

"I think many productions are planning on wrapping up by the strike deadline. It is often very difficult to stop production midway. Putting a production on hold is a pretty gigantic responsibility," said one executive from a talent agency who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Due to its late production start, "Terminator 4" was ineligible for special "strike expense" insurance coverage recently offered by Fireman's Fund Insurance Co.

Wendy Diaz, underwriting director at Fireman's, said many studios rushed ahead with production to get the coverage, which was contingent on shooting being scheduled to end by June 15. The policies reimburse producers for strike losses if filming is delayed past June 30 by unforseen circumstance, such as an actor's illness or equipment damage.

Few, if any, studio movies were put into production after late March or early April, because a typical 60-day movie shooting cycle would cut it too close to the presumed strike deadline.

Steven Spielberg called off an April start to a film about the trial of the 1968 anti-war activists, and Michael Bay is keeping his fingers crossed for an early June start for a sequel to his "Transformers."

Copyright 2008 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2008-05-08 07:18:53
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29 comments

tarintay 05:16:22 PM May 08 2008

dilellaevington BY THE WAY YOU ARE THE BRAINDEAD ONE.

tarintay 05:15:09 PM May 08 2008

I know you democrats don't believe in doing that but us hard working republicans do
We have to work hard to pay our absurd taxes, which to paying welfare to LAZY people

HEY A$$WIPE. YOUR BLANKET STATEMENT SHOWS HOW IGNORANT AND HATEFUL AND DILLUSIONAL YOU ARE. I AM 54, WHITE FEMALE, WORKING, MOTHER, GRANDMOTHER, RESCUER OF SEVERAL ANIMALS, HOME OWNER, CHARITY GIVER AND CHURCH GOER AND I'M A DEMOCRAT. SO STICK THAT UP YOUR PORT HOLE.

yesreebob 04:51:37 PM May 08 2008

UNIONS SUCK AND SHOULD BE BUSTED.

vere1934 02:33:20 PM May 08 2008

without Arnold it is a colossal flop

trudestiny2008 12:28:30 PM May 08 2008

**** THE REPUBLICAN PARTY! WHITE DOGS!

dilellaevington 12:16:26 PM May 08 2008

Hey IMDANWC what is a bullit????????????????
don't you mean bullet?IDIOT!!!
you are the average democrat; totally braindead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hey khod3 life did not give me my breaks I actually worked for them I know you democrats don't believe in doing that but us hard working republicans do
We have to work hard to pay our absurd taxes, which to paying welfare to LAZY people

unbtble 12:13:12 PM May 08 2008

Muscle jobs go where muscle labor is cheap and that is not here. No union, or politician is going to change that.....Not Ombama, Clinton or McCain.
100 years ago there were hundreds of shops that manufactured buggy whips and you can bet the last one left made the best damn buggy whip available. Today there are none left because there are no horse drawn carriages left. It's called obsolesence. Buggy whips became obslolete. Unions are completely obsolete and nothing will change that. Not legislation or a new slate of elected officials. Unions are not in it for the struggle of the worker, they are bussiness' themsleves and there leaders make salaries just like any CEO. Often they make as much as the executives they are staring at accross the table.

hoagie58 11:59:55 AM May 08 2008

Geez Dan, not bitter are we? Tell all the folks here in NC, al the folks in VA about how great unions are! It's great to see our textile and furniture jobs go elsewhere, isnt it? I'm not saying people dont deserve honest pay for honest work, but unions go way beyond that! Talk about beauracracy! As for the Republican part- at least the answer isnt in more government with us! Dont like a situation? Create a new layer of government! Get a grip (and maybe some counseling)!

unbtble 11:48:40 AM May 08 2008

During the birth of commerce, during the industrial revelution, unions were needed. There were abuses by employers and independent governance did not exist. By the late 1950's and 1960's the pendulum had gravitated way to far the other way. America was brought to it's knees in the 1970's and was no longer a bussiness power due to corrupt unions, backed and run by organized crime. The pacific rim, Japan and China were predicted to take the lead we had built from the end of WW II.
In 1980 Regan fired striking Patco members and the since that death knell the US workforce has dropped from 55 % union to just under 7 % in the private sector. America began a dramtic climb to the top in almost every industry, except auto manufacturing. That one industry has remained union dominated and is the lone place where foiegn entities have annihalated US competition.

jacktmsn 11:41:51 AM May 08 2008

You want to know your time of death?
visit the website:tombclock. com

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