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Movies & TV

11th Aug 2023

One huge Hollywood movie has been granted exemption from the actors’ strike

Rory Cashin

Ferrari

The all-star Oscar-favourite comes from the director of Heat and The Last of the Mohicans.

The idea that all movies and TV shows have come to a complete stop due to the double-whammy of the actors’ and writers’ strike is a bit of a misnomer.

While the strikes have definitely had a huge impact on upcoming release schedules (more on that here) and even impending Hollywood awards ceremonies (more here), some other movies and shows are free to go ahead with their production – which could include a huge uptick for productions in Ireland and the UK (more here).

As long as the productions aren’t a part of the Writers’ Guild of America (WGA) or the Screen Actors’ Guild (SAG-AFTRA), then they’re able to apply for an “interim agreement”, which allows either the production or publicity of the movie or show to continue.

While other projects have been able to successfully apply for this agreement, one movie in particular stands out simply by being an absolutely huge Hollywood production.

Ferrari

Two-time Oscar-nominee Adam Driver plays Enzo Ferrari

Ferrari is directed by Michal Mann (Heat, The Insider, Collateral), written by Troy Kennedy Martin (The Italian Job, Edge of Darkness), and has a stacked cast including Adam Driver, Penelope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, Jack O’Connell, Sarah Gadon and Patrick Dempsey.

Set in 1957, it follows the story of Enzo Ferrari (Driver) and his wife Laura (Cruz), as they deal with imminent bankruptcy and the recent death of their son. With little remaining to lose, he wagers what he has left on the treacherous 1,000-mile race across Italy, the legendary Mille Miglia.

As reported by Deadline, Ferrari is being distributed by Neon, who are a non-Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) company, and their application for the interim agreement has been passed. This will allow Mann, Driver, Cruz and the rest of the cast to take part in any publicity around the movie as it premieres at the Venice Film Festival, which kicks off at the end of August.

However, whether the cast actually will do any interviews is another matter. Upcoming action thriller G20 received a similar agreement, allowing production for the non-AMPTP movie to go ahead, but that movie’s star Viola Davis stepped away from the project, stating “I love this movie, but I do not feel that it would be appropriate for this production to move forward during the strike.”

Following the huge releases of both Barbie and Oppenheimer, which both featured huge promotional pushes by their huge casts, we’re now heading into the first few weeks and months of big Hollywood productions hitting cinemas without the publicity assistance of interviews with the cast and crew. Whether that will have an impact on those movies’ box office returns will be available for all to see in the not-too-distant future.

Ferrari is scheduled to arrive in cinemas in the US on Christmas Day this year, but is set to debut on Sky Cinema and NOW in Ireland and the UK.

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