Scarlett Johansson files a massive lawsuit against Disney in connection with Black Widow.
Disney has publicly retaliated after Black Widow star Scarlett Johansson filed a massive lawsuit against the film studio today.
Black Widow is bracing herself for another epic battle — this time, however, it will be against her corporate overlords at Disney, not Thanos. Scarlett Johansson is suing Disney over the streaming release of Black Widow, alleging that the release of her latest Marvel film on Disney+ violated her contract.
However, Disney publicly chastised the star for displaying a “callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged global effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
The Wall Street Journal reports that the star of Marvel’s latest blockbuster has filed a lawsuit against Disney in Los Angeles Superior Court.
“Disney purposefully induced Marvel’s breach of the agreement, without justification, in order to deprive Ms. Johansson of the full benefit of her deal with Marvel,” the suit states.
As a result of the pandemic, Disney has been releasing some of their slate simultaneously on Disney+ and in theaters, uploading major releases like Cruella and this weekend’s Jungle Cruise to their Disney+ Premier Access tier, which comes at an additional cost. At the time, it was unclear whether Disney intended to proceed with the plan — but similar Marvel films such as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings are still scheduled to release exclusively in theaters before being streamed.
“This is undoubtedly not the last instance in which Hollywood talent stands up to Disney and demonstrates that, regardless of what the company claims, it is legally required to honor its contracts,” said John Berlinski, a lawyer representing Johansson.
However, in a statement to Deadline following the lawsuit’s publication, a Disney spokesperson stated: “There is no merit to this filing.” The lawsuit is particularly heartbreaking and distressing in its callous disregard for the pandemic’s horrific and protracted global effects. Disney has complied fully with Ms. Johansson’s contract, and the release of Black Widow on Disney+ with Premier Access has significantly increased her ability to earn additional compensation in addition to the $20 million she has already received.”
Warner Bros. is following a similar path to Disney+ in the United States this year, offering its entire slate of 2021 films for free on US streaming service HBO Max for a period of 31 days. However, WarnerMedia renegotiated talent contracts that were conditional on box office revenue, whereas Johannsson’s deal with Marvel was not. Gal Gadot and Patty Jenkins, for example, each received $13.5 million as part of a new Wonder Woman 84 HBO Max release. According to the Wall Street Journal, Warner Bros. paid over $270 million in compensation to talent as part of the new deals.
According to the complaint, after learning about the simultaneous release strategy for Black Widow, Johansson’s representatives attempted to renegotiate her contract. However, both Disney and Marvel reportedly remained unresponsive, and sources told the journal that ScarJo has lost more than $67 million as a result of the Disney+ launch.
This is a long-standing issue that predates the pandemic’s impact on in-cinema experiences. Johansson was concerned that Black Widow would end up on Disney+ as a result of its wide release in 2019. Marvel Chief Counsel Dave Galuzzi reportedly assured ScarJo’s representatives via email that the film would not be released on Disney+ after seeking reassurance that it would be released exclusively in theaters.
“We understand that if the plan changes, we will need to discuss it with you and reach an agreement, as the deal is contingent on a series of (very large) box office bonuses,” Galuzzi responded in a March 2019 email.
Johansson has played a pivotal role in the MCU since 2010, when she debuted as superspy Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. Black Widow. She has since appeared in several Avengers films, but this was her first stand-alone film.
Black Widow opened in the United States on July 9 and grossed $108 million domestically and $105 million internationally, including an additional $80 million from Disney+ Premier Access purchases.
