THE CHOSEN Given SAG Waiver, Becomes First Project Exempt from Strike
By Movieguide® Contributor
Despite an industry-wide strike, Lionsgate’s series THE CHOSEN was given a waiver from SAG to continue filming.
THE CHOSEN shared on their Twitter, “Update: Great news! We just received word from SAG that we have been approved for a waiver. We’ll continue shooting on Monday.”
Update: Great news! We just received word from SAG that we have been approved for a waiver. We’ll continue shooting on Monday.
— The Chosen (@thechosentv) July 16, 2023
In addition, creator and producer Dallas Jenkins posted a photo on his Instagram which stated, “We’ve submitted all the requested paperwork immediately. We fit all qualifications for an exemption. Every day that goes by without your response costs us hundreds of thousands of dollars while your actors are stuck in Utah.”
He added, “We’re the good guys; we’ve treated your actors well. Please take the few minutes to approve our application so your actors can get back to work getting paid for the last two weeks of a season they want to finish.”
So far, THE CHOSEN is the first television series that has been granted an exemption from the strike.
DEADLINE reported, “The agreements are being granted to ‘truly independent producers’ as long as they are not affiliated with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and agree to be bound retroactively to whatever contract terms eventually are achieved with the AMPTP when the strike is settled.”
They added, “But SAG’s path to granting exemptions isn’t straight forward. Even in the case of The Chosen, the series recently announced a distribution deal with Lionsgate and previous seasons have been sold to CW, Netflix, Amazon and Peacock. Far as we know, those deals only apply to seasons one to three, not season four (even if the budget for the latest season may have benefited from those deals). Among licensees of the series in the U.S. are Angel Studios, which recently struck box office gold with Sound Of Freedom.”
Movieguide® previously reported:
THE CHOSEN creators recently partnered with Lionsgate and granted sub-licensing rights for the distribution of THE CHOSEN series on a global level.
Dallas Jenkins, the series writer, producer, and director told CBN’s Faithwire, “Lionsgate is perfect for us,”
He added, “They’re strong and experienced in the areas we’re not, but they also understand what’s unique about us and will protect that. We’ll continue to do what we do best unabated, and they’ll expand our efforts with their tremendous distribution team.”
President of worldwide television distribution for Lionsgate, Jim Packer stated, “no surprise that an artfully crafted story about such an important historical figure, unlike anything done before, would be in great demand.”
Packer added, “The multi-season approach has allowed ‘The Chosen’ to consistently build its audience and generate a unique level of engagement. We’re excited by the opportunity to elevate this incredible property to the next level of worldwide recognition and popularity.”
