The Writers Guild of America has reached a tentative agreement with major studios, nearly a month before its contract was set to expire, potentially averting a strike.

The guild said it struck the deal on Saturday with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The agreement will run for four years, extending beyond the typical three-year term.

Details of the agreement were not immediately released, though it is expected to include significant funding for the guild’s health plan, which has lost USD 200 million over the past four years.

“Today, the WGA Negotiating Committee unanimously approved a tentative agreement with the AMPTP for the 2026 Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA) for a four-year term,” the committee told members, as per Variety.

“Crucially, it protects our health plan and puts it on a sustainable path, with increased company contributions across many areas and long-needed increases to health contribution caps. The new contract also builds on gains from 2023 and helps address free work challenges.”

The agreement still requires approval from the WGA board and must be ratified by union members. The negotiating committee said it is recommending that the WGAW Board and WGAE Council approve sending the agreement to members for a ratification vote later this month, with the Memorandum of Agreement and summary to be provided after those bodies vote.

“The AMPTP has reached a tentative agreement with the WGA,” the studio group said in a statement. “We look forward to building on this progress as we continue working toward agreements that support long-term industry stability.”

The early deal is in sharp contrast with the previous contract cycle, when the WGA staged a 148-day strike to secure improved terms on streaming residuals, TV staffing minimums and other issues.

Industry conditions appear to have tempered the appetite for another strike, amid an ongoing global contraction in film and television production. Complicating matters, staff at the WGA West have been on strike for more than six weeks, limiting the union’s operational capacity.

In a notable departure from past practice, the WGA did not seek strike authorization from its members this time.

The health fund had been the central issue in negotiations. While cuts to benefits had been anticipated as part of cost-control efforts, no such provisions have yet been disclosed.

The guild also pursued gains on provisions negotiated in 2023, including streaming residuals and staffing minimums, and pushed for protections around artificial intelligence, including compensation if screenplays are used to train AI systems.

The WGA contract is due to expire on May 1. The AMPTP must still negotiate new agreements with SAG-AFTRA and the Directors Guild of America, whose contracts both expire on June 30. Talks with SAG-AFTRA were paused earlier this year as studios shifted focus to the writers’ negotiations.