Actress Scarlett Johansson has filed a lawsuit against the Walt Disney Company, alleging that the streaming release of her film “Black Widow” breached her contract and resulted in lost earnings. According to the suit, Johansson’s agreement guaranteed an exclusive theatrical release, and her potential earnings were tied to the movie’s box office performance. However, the company also released the film on its streaming service, Disney+, for a $30 rental fee. The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, and the news was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Prior to filing the lawsuit, Ms. Johansson had given Disney and Marvel several chances to remedy their breach of contract and fulfill their obligations as promised, according to the lawsuit. Disney deliberately instigated Marvel’s violation of the agreement, with no reasonable excuse, in order to prevent Ms. Johansson from receiving the full benefit of her agreement with Marvel.
Disney dismissed the lawsuit as “completely baseless.”
“Disney’s response is particularly disappointing and insensitive, given the widespread and prolonged global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said the statement. “Disney has fully complied with Ms. Johansson’s contract, and the release of Black Widow on Disney+ with Premier Access has greatly increased her capacity to earn further compensation beyond the $20 million she has already earned.”
After being postponed for more than a year due to the COVID-19 outbreak, “Black Widow” premiered with a record-breaking $80 million in North America and $78 million in international cinemas three weeks ago, but box office receipts fell considerably afterwards. On its second weekend in theatres, the National Association of Theatre Owners released an unusual statement criticizing the approach, claiming that simultaneous releases only result in lost income and increased piracy.
During the epidemic, hybrid theatre and streaming releases have become more popular among many of the largest studios, each with its own distinct strategy. This weekend, Disney is using the same plan with “Jungle Cruise,” while Warner Bros.’s big-budget film “The Suicide Squad” will open in theaters and on HBO Max next weekend.
Over the course of 16 months, the modified hybrid release approaches have caused disagreements among theater owners, actors, filmmakers, and financiers due to potential revenue losses and perceived one-sided decision-making. In particular, Warner Media reportedly paid more than $200 million in “amended agreements” with talent because of its choice to release all of its 2021 films both in theaters and on HBO Max. However, the public has not seen a lawsuit as notable as Johansson’s. As an actor who has appeared in nine Marvel movies since “Iron Man 2” in 2010, Johansson became a trending topic on Twitter shortly after news of her lawsuit was released.
