The last round of the battle between the long-time Marvel Cinematic Universe star Scarlett Johansson and Disney’s parent company Marvel Studios began this weekend, when Disney lawyers filed a motion to end the dispute Black widowthe benefits of private arbitration rather than having a public trial.
Johansson’s lawsuit, as you may recall, alleges that Marvel promised it Black widow would have a theatrical-only premiere, but that Disney forced the studio to make the film available on Disney + the same day that theatrical release. Johansson’s lawyer said this not only cannibalized the film’s box office profits, which cost the actor millions, but also violated his contract with Marvel.
Disney’s motion refutes that, of course, and offers some details of the contract (courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter): “Disney says so Black widow was put on more than 9,000 screens in the United States, allegedly fulfilling its obligation to screen the film in no less than 1,500 (again, Johansson claims it had to be exclusive) and, according to the latest presentation , on August 15, Black widow has raised more than $ 367 million in box office receipts worldwide and more than $ 125 million in transmission and download receipts.
“Disney compares the Black widow published in other Marvel canon films, saying the opening weekend was “more than many other films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Thor: The dark world; Ant-Man; Ant-Man and the wasp; i Guardians of the galaxy“.”
True, but it also ignores the massive and abnormal drop in attendance Black widow it experienced between the first and second week of its release, which saw its opening weekend profits of $ 80 million fall to just $ 26.3 million. De Johansson lawyers say Disney put the long-awaited Black widow Disney + to push subscribers to its broadcast service instead of building its box office, and several theater owners’ associations have also accused Disney of the same reason.
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The details of Johansson’s Marvel contract have yet to be revealed, so we can’t know if Disney has honored him properly. However, given that Disney, immediately after being sued, tried shame publicly Johansson announcing his $ 20 million base payday for the film and basically accusing it of not worrying about the pandemic, it seems unlikely that Disney will come out of that smell of pink. The fact that the company wants to move the lawsuit to private arbitration within a lawsuit could speak for itself, but to be fair, Disney has stated that this is also part of their contact.
However, to be fair Johansson, Disney has one long, long, long story of trying to pay people who have made the company valued at $ 122 billion as little as possible. As good for the Black Widow, as another Marvel female hero, to know her worth.
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