Like his MCU character Black Widow, Scarlett Johansson apparently he doesn’t hold back in a fight either. He has responded harshly in his response against Disney, the parent company of Marvel. Currently, the actor and the studio are in a tough legal battle for the hybrid release, both theatrical and streaming, of his independent Marvel film, Black Widow, which allegedly stole from Scarlett bonuses of about $ 50 million.
Disney released Black Widow on Premiere Access, Disney + ‘s PVOD service, following the model’ s success with Mulan, Raya and the Last Dragon and Cruella.
Johansson’s attorney, John Berlinski, said, according to Deadline, “After initially responding to this litigation with a misogynistic attack on Scarlett Johansson, Disney is now, predictably, trying to hide its misconduct in confidential arbitration.”
He stated that “Marvel’s promises to give Black Widow a typical theatrical release” like his other films “had everything to do with ensuring that Disney would not cannibalize box office receipts to increase Disney + subscriptions.” Johansson’s lawyers claimed they have “overwhelming evidence” that exactly this happened.
The publication reports that the Mouse House wants the dispute to be resolved behind closed doors.
Disney, however, has dismissed the claims. A file filed Aug. 20 says the hybrid release was discussed with the actor and he was not blinded as he claimed. “Marvel discussed the decision of the hybrid launch pattern with Johansson in the spring of 2021, as the parties were talking about the release date of the image. Marvel has assured Johansson that it will be credited with 100% of Premier Access receipts. and PEHV for the purposes of the box office thresholds used to calculate any additional compensation, although Marvel has no obligation under the agreement to do so, ”he said. .
He also goes on to say that the film earned more than $ 125 million in streaming and retail receipt downloads at Disney +. Subscribers could get “premium access” to Black Widow on the day of the release for an additional $ 30. “Since August 15, 2021, the image has raised more than $ 367 million in box office receipts worldwide,” he added.
On July 30, the Wall Street Journal reported the news of Scarlett’s lawsuit against Disney, owner of Marvel Studios. The lawsuit accused the media giant of breaching the terms of his contract through simultaneous release.
Johansson said his deal with Disney-owned Marvel Entertainment involved a guarantee that the film would be released exclusively in theaters and that his salary was based on the film’s box office performance.
The lawsuit said, “Disney intentionally induced Marvel’s breach of the agreement, without justification, to prevent Ms. Johansson from realizing the full benefit of her negotiation with Marvel.”
Disney’s response was immediate and aggressive. A statement quoted by Variety said: “There is no merit in this file. The lawsuit is especially sad and distressing for its disregard for the terrible and prolonged global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”