It’s not often that Hollywood stars sue companies that screen their films, but that’s exactly what happened in July.
Back then, Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson had filed a lawsuit against Disney for allegedly breaching her contract by releasing her latest movie, Black Widow, on its streaming service, Disney+.
At the time, Disney said there was no merit to the filing, and even revealed how much she earned for her role in the movie (it was S$20 million).
This left both parties with two options:
- Come to a compromise over the matter
- Face a long battle in court
Fortunately for both parties, they’ve managed to avoid the latter.
Disney Resolves Legal Dispute with Scarlett Johansson Over Black Widow Movie
Disney and Johansson have resolved their legal dispute over the streaming of Black Widow, a joint statement by the actress and company said.
The terms of the settlement, however, have not been revealed. Nevertheless, both parties are satisfied with the outcome.
“I’m very pleased that we have been able to come to a mutual agreement with Scarlett Johansson regarding Black Widow,” content chairman for Disney Studios Alan Bergman said.
The chairman added that the company is looking forward to working with the 36-year-old on some upcoming projects.
Johansson had similar sentiments in her statement: “I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done together over the years and have greatly enjoyed my creative relationship with the team.”
Deprived of Potential Earnings?
Johansson’s lawsuit claimed that there was an agreement between Disney and Johansson that Black Widow would only be released in theatres.
With this agreement in place, Johansson believed that her salary would be chiefly based on earnings from the box office.
However, to her dismay, Black Widow debuted on 9 July in both cinemas and on Disney+.
The lawsuit argued that this deprived Johansson of potential earnings.
In response, Disney rubbished the allegation, and even revealed how much she earned in the film.
“Disney has fully complied with Ms. Johansson’s contract and furthermore, the release of ‘Black Widow’ on Disney+ with Premier Access has significantly enhanced her ability to earn additional compensation on top of the $20 million she has received to date,” it said.
It added that the lawsuit is “especially sad and distressing in its callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Film Reportedly Made US$60 Million Globally From Disney+ in First 20 Days
The decision to stream the movie on its streaming platform was certainly a wise one from Disney, as it reportedly raked in US$20 million in its first 20 days in release.
How did it make so much so quickly? Well, viewers had to fork out US$30 (S$41) to watch the movie on Disney+.
That’s quite a bit more than the price of a movie ticket.
In total, the film has grossed over US$378 million worldwide, breaking many pandemic box office records.
It’s currently also the fourth-highest grossing film of 2021, behind films like Godzilla vs Kong and Detective Chinatown 3.
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