There are signs of progress in negotiations to end a nearly 150-day strike by Hollywood screenwriters.
Negotiations between striking writers and studios resumed Wednesday and will continue Thursday. The re-started talks are the latest attempt to bring an end to pickets that have brought film and television productions to a halt.
The two sides are divided on issues of pay, the size of writing staffs on shows and the use of artificial intelligence in how scripts are created.
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The Wednesday meeting between the WGA and leaders of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers are the first since mid-August. The two sides issued a joint statement indicating talks will resume Thursday, a positive sign after negotiations stalled for about a month.
"Certainly, it's significant that there was a joint press release," said Jonathan Handel, an entertainment lawyer. "These are people who have been at each other's throats in the past."
CNBC, citing sources, reported they hope to finalize a deal Thursday. The sources also said that if a deal is not reached, the strike could last through the end of the year.
The strike, which began May 2, has brought production on several high-profile shows and films, including Netflix's "Stranger Things," Disney and Marvel's "Blade," and Paramount's "Evil," to a stop.
Actors, who joined the writers on strike in July, have their own issues but there have been no discussions about resuming negotiations with their union yet.
Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC. NBCUniversal is a member of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
