Scarlett Johansson has spentnearly a decadein the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the Black Widow , culminating inher long - awaited solo moviethat was finally released earlier this monthafter multiplecovid-19 - induced delays . Now , the actor has announced she ’s suing the Walt Disney Company — for a breach of contract relate to the movie ’s day - and - appointment debut on Disney+ .
As theWall Street Journalreports , Johansson ’s case , filed in Los Angeles ’ Superior Court today , alleges that Disney pass up to re - talk terms part of her contract with Marvel Studios to accommodate the fact that Black Widow , due to theatrical restrictions convey about by covid-19 , debuted simultaneously in theaters and as part of the waft ’s Disney+ “ Premiere Access ” program on July 9 . According to the suit , this breached an arrangement she had with Marvel that Black Widow would have an exclusive theatrical unveiling .
Johansson ’s contract for the film also tied her salary into the film ’s box office performance , a common stipulation for endowment in major blockbuster beyond their usual defrayal . Because of Black Widow ’s concurrent streaming debut , the film ’s box office execution was intemperately blunted , leading to a week - on - week drop curtain from its $ 80 million domestictheatrical box office debutto just $ 26.3 million in the film ’s second week — which alsolead to theater possessor associations blasting Disney . A source familiar with the contract verbalize to WSJ claimed Johansson stands to turn a loss roughly $ 50 million from the move , while Disney itself touted that Black Widow made around $ 60 million in initial streams , from the $ 30 buy - in required for Disney+ ’s “ Premiere Access ” title , which have antecedently includedRaya and the Last Dragon , Cruella , andMulan .
Natasha’s next fight probably can’t be solved by a few Widow’s bites.Image: Marvel Studios
Compounding the issues Johansson has with Disney ’s conduct is that her lawsuit further alleges that the company would n’t re - negotiate her deal after the studio apartment lastly decided to move Black Widow to a simultaneous theatrical and streaming vent — a decision madeafter months of stalling in March this twelvemonth . While other studios who moved to streaming to account for the pandemic re - negotiated deals with natural endowment to report for the change — Warner Bros. shockingly and , to some creatives polemically , moved theirentire 2021 slateto full or simultaneous debuts on HBO Max — Johansson ’s suit take that Disney and Marvel were unresponsive to requests by her representative to spay her agreements .
Furthermore , the lawsuit notes that Johansson ’s representative had had anterior concerns about the film lead to Disney+ as far back as 2019 , quoting an e-mail from Marvel Chief Counsel Dave Galluzzi include in the suit that says Marvel “ understand that should the design change , we would necessitate to discourse this with [ Johansson ] and do to an discernment as the passel is based on a series of ( very large ) loge agency bonuses . ”
Speaking to WSJ , John Berlinski , an lawyer at Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP who present Johansson said , “ This will surely not be the last case where Hollywood endowment stands up to Disney and makes it clear that , whatever the company may pretend , it has a legal certificate of indebtedness to honour its contracts . ” io9 has reached out to Disney for gossip on the cause and will update this place if and when we hear more .
Update 2025-03-20 5:30 p.m. EST — In a command provided by a Walt Disney spokesperson , Disney has react to Johansson ’s suit to say that it has “ no merit whatsoever ” and that its allegations are “ pitiful and distressing in itscallous neglect for the horrific and extended global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic . ”
“ Disney has to the full complied with Ms. Johansson ’s contract , ” the argument continues , “ and moreover , the tone ending of Black Widow on Disney+ with Premier Access has significantly enhance her power to earn extra recompense on top of the $ 20 M she has receive to date . ”
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Black WidowdisneyFilmsIMAX filmsMarvelmarvel studiosWarner Bros.
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