Black Widow.Photo: Marvel Entertainment
Disney has responded toScarlett Johansson’s lawsuit in which the actressclaimed the company breached her contractafter debutingBlack Widowon Disney+ and in movie theaters.
“Disney has fully complied with Ms. Johansson’s contract and furthermore, the release ofBlack Widowon Disney+ with Premier Access has significantly enhanced her ability to earn additional compensation on top of the $20M she has received to date,” the statement read.
Johansson, 36, filed a lawsuit against Disney on Thursday in Los Angeles, alleging the conglomerate breached her contract when it released this summer’s blockbusterBlack Widowon its Disney+ streaming service at the same time that it was released in movie theaters.
“Disney intentionally induced Marvel’s breach of the agreement, without justification, in order to prevent Ms. Johansson from realizing the full benefit of her bargain with Marvel,” the suit said.
“This will surely not be the last case where Hollywood talent stands up to Disney and makes it clear that, whatever the company may pretend, it has a legal obligation to honor its contracts,” it continued.
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Johansson has starred as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow since 2010’sIron Man 2and has since been an integral part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, specifically the company’sAvengersfilms.
Her character died in 2019’sAvengers: Endgame.Black Widowwas Johansson’s first spinoff film involving her character.
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Disney’s decision to releaseBlack Widowsimultaneously in theaters and on its streaming platform matches what the company did forCruellaandJungle Cruise, the latter which opens in theaters and becomes available on Disney+, for a premium $30 price, on Friday.
Black Widow, which debuted on July 9, earned $80 million at the U.S. box office in its opening weekend and $78 million at the worldwide box office. It earned another $60 million from the Disney+ Premier $30 rental fees on the platform.
Earlier this month, Johansson said in an interview with Fatherly that she had “no plans to return” as Black Widow.
“I feel really satisfied with this film,” she said. “It feels like a great way to go out for this chapter of my Marvel identity.”
source: people.com
