‘Problemista’ Release Date Delayed Due to SAG-AFTRA and WGA Strike!!

The effects of the studios refusing to listen to writers and actors are already showing themselves as A24‘s latest film Problemista delays its August release. In an exclusive to Deadline, the Julio Torres film was set to have a limited release on August 4. Now, the release date is to be determined at some point down the road. To be clear, this is on the studios for refusing to make a deal with SAG-AFTRA and the WGA. This is just the start of delays and pushbacks we’ll see because of the studios’ actions.

This is now the second August release to push its date. Lionsgate‘s White Bird also has a release date up in the air due to the strikes. We don’t know whether or not the strike ending will instantly put these movies back on the release date calendar or what we’ll happen to the August schedule in the meantime but it is a quick response to the strike. Studios refusing to listen to their writers and actors have now put them in a position where the people who do the promotion for them simply cannot and they’re left with either putting movies out without the actors there to promote it or delay the release until they actually talk through these contracts.

There are some movies still underway. SAG-AFTRA has allowed certain productions to continue and some A24 movies to keep filming, so A24 delaying this release date is interesting. The plan was though to have Torres go across the country to do Q&As for the film in a slow rollout of it. But after a successful SXSW premiere, the movie was popular for those who are fans of other A24 work as well as Torres as a performer. Still, without Torres able to do promotions for the film, it makes sense to delay it.

Just the Beginning

While some blockbusters like Barbie and Oppenheimer already had press done prior to the official strike call, other movies did not. Meaning that the promotion side of things is going to start delaying these release dates. Many studios have banks reviews for release but its clear that with Problemista delaying its August release and movies like Luca Guadagnino‘s Challengers fully moving to a 2024 release date, we’re in for a lot of changes all at the studios’ expense. Since they don’t seem to want to listen to the requests of the WGA or SAG-AFTRA, it does seem like we’ll be getting a lot more of these notices in the future as well. For now, we don’t know when Problemista will be released and until then, we’ll just have to continue to support SAG-AFTRA and the WGA.