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Scarlett Johansson is suing Disney; breach of contract.
Scarlett Johansson is suing Disney for breaching her Black Widow contract by releasing the film in theaters and Disney +. At signing, Johansson’s contract specified that the film would be exclusively in theaters. Disney was counting on deferrance from the Star because she was a woman and possibly hoping she wouldn’t fight back. Well, she did and they are getting smacked in the face with the lawsuit. Good for her, for fighting for what she deserves.
Via marvel
via IGN Twitter
Johansson’s salary was based on the movie’s box office performance in theaters alone which was still a big number, $80 million. However, by not including Disney + profits they underhanded pocketed that remaining profit for themselves. And, his left Scarlet at a loss of over $50-60 million. In case, you were unaware, Black Widow made $218 million in total opening weekend.
Refuse to Renegotiate the Contract
The Black Widow star was denied opportunities to renegotiate her contract when news broke that the film would be release on Disney’s streaming platform. However, they didn’t engage in any discussions of renegotiating her contract deliberate leaving millions at the table. And for those who say she shouldn’t sue, would you leave $50-60 million if it was an option? Despite, what you feel towards the star, Johansson should be entitled to the difference. The film star should be privy to funds that could provide further for her growing family. Scarlett is expecting with her new husband Colin Jost.
While Marvel and Disney engaged in shady undertakings with respect to it’s talent, Warner Bros took the opposite road. Warner Bros Media paid more than $200 million to talent whose original contracts were based on box office performance but were changed to reflect day-and-date streaming deals.
Lawsuit and Statement from Attorney, John Berlinski
According to the lawsuit, Disney intentionally caused Marvel to breach the agreement, unjustifiably depriving Ms. Johansson of the full benefits she was entitled to. Johansson’s attorney, John Berlinski, shared the following statement with USA TODAY:
“It is well-known that Disney is releasing films like ‘Black Widow’ directly on Disney+ to attract more subscribers and boost its stock price. They are using COVID-19 as an excuse for this strategy.”
He further added:
“This won’t be the last case where talent in Hollywood confronts Disney and emphasizes that, despite their claims, the company has a legal obligation to honor its contracts.”
