The resolution of Scarlett Johansson’s lawsuit against Disney is reportedly tied to her role in an upcoming Tower of Terror movie adaptation. Johansson leveled the suit against Disney back in July after the company decided to release Black Widow on Disney+ the same day the film hit theaters. The lawsuit, which has since garnered the support of other actors and celebrities, alleges that this new release strategy hurt the film’s box office revenue, thus negatively impacting Johansson’s payment for the movie.
Johansson was reportedly paid $20 million for her appearance in Black Widow and claims that her deal to appear in the film was built upon the expectation that it would receive an exclusive theatrical release. According to the lawsuit, Disney’s decision to put Black Widow on Disney+ was, therefore, a breach of her contract. The lawsuit recently reached a settlement with Johansson reportedly receiving a payout of $40 million. Both Johansson and Disney made public statements about resolving the lawsuit, with Disney Studios Chairman Alan Bergman making clear that the company was looking forward to collaborating with Johansson on future projects, including, specifically, Disney’s Tower of Terror.
The mention of Tower of Terror, it turns out, was significant because the upcoming film is reportedly directly tied to the settlement terms of the lawsuit. According to Puck News (via CBR), reaching an agreement for the lawsuit would be less of a financial loss for Disney if they were able to use the money to also secure Johansson for a future project. The idea was that, if Disney was going to pay Johansson a great deal of money for perceived lost box office revenue, they might as well get a little more bang for their buck and reach a deal with Johansson for their upcoming Tower of Terror film.
Tower of Terror, which was announced shortly before Johansson filed her lawsuit, already had the star attached to produce and potentially star in the film. While nothing has, as of yet, been confirmed, it’s looking increasingly likely that Johansson will, as part of her settlement with Disney, headline the movie. The film is based on Disney World’s famous Tower of Terror ride, in which participants are given a tour of a haunted hotel in an elevator before being sent hurtling towards the ground in free-fall as part of the ride’s climactic showpiece. Should the film get the go-ahead to start production, it will be the second time the ride has been adapted for the screen, the first being a TV movie starring Kirsten Dunst.
Although it’s entirely possible that the public will never know the full details of the terms of Johansson’s deal with Disney, it seems likely that more details will emerge at some point in the future, whether that be through official channels or otherwise. Considering the long working relationship between Johansson and Disney, the lawsuit, in general, came as a shock to many fans, but it’s a relief that the two parties now seem to have resolved their differences. While it doesn’t seem Johansson will be appearing in any MCU movies in the near future, fans can hopefully catch her in the upcoming Tower of Terror film, if that movie gets the green light to start production.