Scarlett Johansson, star of Marvel’s Black Widow, has launched a lawsuit against Disney+ over the film’s distribution. According to a new report, Johansson filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court today, alleging that Disney breached her contract for Black Widow by releasing the film in theaters as well as on Disney+ Premier Access, the premium addition to Disney+ that allows users to pay up to $30 to stream select new movies at the same time they are released in theaters. Scarlett claims that since her compensation for Black Widow was largely dependent on box office success, the Disney+ distribution is reducing her earnings for the picture.
From comicbook.com:
In the statement from Johansson’s suit (via WSJ), it is alleged that “Disney intentionally induced Marvel’s breach of the agreement, without justification, in order to prevent Ms. Johansson from realizing the full benefit of her bargain with Marvel.”
John Berlinski, an attorney at Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP who represents Ms. Johansson, stated that “This will surely not be the last case where Hollywood talent stands up to Disney and makes it clear that, whatever the company may pretend, it has a legal obligation to honor its contracts.”
In the suit, Johansson claims that her salary was partly based on the film’s box office performance, and that Marvel Entertainment promised an exclusive theatrical release. https://t.co/21cZqafF1z pic.twitter.com/v8NbyJpK4R
— Variety (@Variety) July 29, 2021
The suit says that “Disney intentionally induced Marvel’s breach of the agreement, without justification, in order to prevent Ms. Johansson from realizing the full benefit of her bargain with Marvel.” https://t.co/21cZqafF1z pic.twitter.com/AzSQ3pIUmV
— Variety (@Variety) July 29, 2021