Scarlett Johansson has reacted to reaching a settlement with Disney after accusing the company of breaching her contract with Black Widow's release. The Marvel film was released simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access in early July. That same month, Johansson filed a suit against Disney, with claims that the company violated part of their contract that included theatrical exclusivity. She alleges that releasing it on streaming the same day hurt Black Widow's ticket sales, thus making her back-end deal on box office performance much lower, particularly when compared to other big-budget Marvel films.
Johansson's Black Widow lawsuit brought the significant issues of actor's box-office back-ends in their contracts into the forefront, especially in the era of streaming. To put it into context, Black Widow opened at $80 million domestically and earned $372 million globally since its release. Many actors, including WandaVision's Elizabeth Olsen and Jamie Lee Curtis, came out in support of the Black Widow star. It was rumored that Emma Stone and Emily Blunt were considering similar lawsuits, as their films Cruella and Jungle Cruise were also subject to the simultaneous theatrical and streaming release, but those suits were never filed. However, Disney CEO Bob Chapek did announce that Disney would be updating their contract policies to better accommodate actors in a way that considers the impact of streaming on the industry.
Johansson and Disney have settled the suit, and the Black Widow star is happy to have it resolved, according to THR. The specific terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Disney initially reported that Johansson made $20 million from the film. Johansson released a statement about the settlement, saying:
"I am happy to have resolved our differences with Disney. I'm incredibly proud of the work we've done together over the years and have greatly enjoyed my creative relationship with the team. I look forward to continuing our collaboration in the years to come."
Disney Studios chairman Alan Bergman also gave a statement commending the consensus reached. In his statement, he mentioned Johansson's contributions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and added that the studio is excited to work with the actress on the upcoming Tower of Terror film. So it looks like, despite the rocky PR campaign put on by both sides, Johansson and Disney plan on keeping a close working relationship.
It's not a total surprise that Disney went the route of settling with Johansson — the company is careful to avoid major PR scandals, and it's easier to come to an agreement outside of the courtroom. It can be presumed they likely compensated Johansson to reflect the streaming impact on Black Widow's release. And while the lawsuit is over, it did have an important impact on the future of film releases and ensuring that actors who participate in streaming films get compensated in a fair and accurate way that reflects their work.
Source: THR