The Academy has cancelled its annual fall festival receptions at Toronto International Film Festival and Telluride.
The decision was relayed to members several weeks ago and may stem from a desire to dial down celebratory events while writers and actors guild members remain on strike.
However Screen understands the Academy plans to host member receptions in the coming months in Los Angeles, New York, London and the Bay Area to celebrate its newest intake of members.
By that time, towards the end of the year, it is hoped work stoppages will have ended, although the recent back-and-forth between the Hollywood companies and Writers’ Guild Of America suggests a resolution may take longer to reach than industry observers had hoped.
The most optimistic speculation had suggested the strikes may end around the US Labor Day holiday which runs over the September 1-4 weekend, although most now believe the strikes could end anytime from September to November.
Without actors and writers able to attend festivals to promote films or releases during the strikes – save for independent projects which have been granted interim agreements – distributors are reviewing strategy with their awards season campaigners.
They are expected to make decisions on whether to move release dates into 2024 after the opening fall season trifecta of Telluride, Venice and Toronto has concluded, by which time they will have a better idea of how the films have been received.
Yesterday Warner Bros and Legendary Pictures announced they were pushing Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two from November to March 15, 2024, by which time it is hoped stars Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya and the rest of the cast will no longer be bound by strike terms and will be available to promote the sci-fi sequel.
In July MGM pulled Zendaya’s R-rated tennis love triangle Challengers by Luca Guadagnino from its Venice opening night slot.
No comments yet