Scarlett Johansson sues Disney over ‘Black Widow’ release

Scarlett Johansson sues Disney over ‘Black Widow’ release

Scarlett Johansson is suing the Walt Disney Company for breach of contract and loss of prospective revenue in connection with the streaming release of "Black Widow."

The “Black Widow” actor and executive producer claimed in a lawsuit filed Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court that her contract guaranteed an exclusive theatrical distribution. The case was originally reported by the Wall Street Journal. 

The potential earnings of Johansson were linked to the film's box office performance, which the corporation distributed simultaneously in cinemas and on its streaming service Disney+ for a $30 rental.

“In the months leading up to this action, Ms. Johansson offered Disney and Marvel every chance to right their error and fulfill Marvel's promise,” according to the lawsuit. “Disney purposefully and without reason caused Marvel's violation of the Agreement to prevent Ms. Johansson from enjoying the full benefit of her contract with Marvel.”

The case, according to Disney, has "absolutely no merit."

“The lawsuit is particularly sad and upsetting in its callous disdain for the devastating and long-lasting worldwide impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Disney stated in a statement. “Disney has completely cooperated with Ms. Johansson's contract, and the release of Black Widow on Disney+ with Premier Access has greatly increased her opportunity to collect extra pay on top of the $20 million she has already received.”

After being delayed for more than a year due to COVID-19, “Black Widow” premiered three weeks ago to a pandemic best of $80 million in North America and $78 million from foreign cinemas, but theatrical grosses dropped dramatically after that.  In its second weekend in release, the National Association of Theater Owners issued a rare statement criticizing the strategy asserting that simultaneous release lends itself only to lost profits and higher quality piracy.

Previously frowned upon, hybrid theatrical and streaming releases have grown increasingly common for several of the industry's top studios throughout the epidemic, with each employing its own distinct strategy. Disney is using the same tactic this weekend with "Jungle Cruise," and Warner Bros.' high budget "The Suicide Squad" releases in cinemas and on HBO Max the following weekend.

Over the past 16 months, the new hybrid release methods have periodically resulted in public spats between theatre owners and actors, directors, and financiers who are dissatisfied with the possible lost income and the claimed unilateral decision-making involved.

According to the WSJ, Warner Media spent more than $200 million in “amended agreements” with artists as a result of its choice to debut its full 2021 slate simultaneously in cinemas and on HBO Max.

None, however, have been as widely publicized as Johansson's case. The afterword of the lawsuit surfaced on Thursday, the actor, who has appeared in nine Marvel films dating back to 2010's "Iron Man 2," rapidly became a trending topic on Twitter.