"Black Widow" Star Scarlett Johansson Is Suing Disney For Streaming Strategy

Scarlett Johansson, the star of the latest Marvel movie "Black Widow," filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against Disney, claiming that her contract was violated when the media giant released the film on its Disney + streaming service at the same time as launch in cinemas.

Ms Johansson said in the lawsuit that her deal with Marvel Entertainment at Disney guaranteed an exclusive film release, and her salary was largely based on the film's box office show.

"Disney intentionally induced Marvel's unjustified violation of the agreement to prevent Ms. Johansson from realizing the full benefit of her negotiations with Marvel," the lawsuit said.

Large media companies give priority to streaming services in search of growth and increasingly place their high-value content on those platforms. These changes have significant financial implications for actors and producers who want to ensure that streaming growth does not come at their own expense.

"This will certainly not be the last case in which Hollywood talent rises up in front of Disney and clarifies that, no matter what the company claims, it has a legal obligation to honor its contracts," said John Berlinski, a lawyer. at Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP representing Mrs. Johansson.

Disney began releasing movies simultaneously on Disney + and in theatres, partly due to the Covid-19 pandemic, when cinemas were closed or with limited capacity, and partly to increase its service. WarnerMedia from AT&T Inc., which operates the HBO Max streaming service, follows a similar strategy for its entire list of Warner Bros. movies. from 2021. NBCUniversal of Comcast Corp. followed suit, launching "The Boss Baby: Family Business" both in theatres and on its Peacock streaming service.

WarnerMedia has chosen to renegotiate many of its talent contracts, which, like Mrs Johansson's agreement with Marvel, were related to boxing office performance. Warner Bros. paid over $ 200 million to the talent as part of the amended agreements.

Mrs Johansson has been an integral part of the Marvel universe since appearing as Black Widow in "Iron Man 2" in 2010. Her presence has grown significantly since then as a member of the Avengers hero team, along with Captain America and The Incredible Hulk. Her character died in the hit movie "Avengers: Endgame" in 2019, and the spin-off movie in theatres now takes place before the events of that movie.

According to the complaint, Ms Johansson's representatives tried to renegotiate her contract after learning about the dual release strategy for "Black Widow," which she said was her ninth and final Marvel film. Disney and Marvel did not respond.

The decision to put the film on Disney + is expected to bring the actress over 50 million dollars, said a person familiar with the details of his contract.

Even before the pandemic, Ms Johansson was worried that "Black Widow" might hit Disney + as part of its wide launch. In 2019, Ms Johansson's representatives approached Marvel seeking assurance that the "black widow" will have an exclusively theatrical version, according to the complaint.

In a March 2019 email included in the lawsuit, Marvel chief adviser Dave Galluzzi said the launch would be in line with a traditional theatrical model, adding: "We understand that if the plan changes, we should discuss this. with you and come to an agreement because the transaction is based on a series of bonuses (very large) at the box office. ”

In the opening weekend of July 9, "Black Widow" grossed $ 80 million at the national box office and $ 78 million abroad and generated another $ 60 million from home purchases of 30 dollars on Disney +. It was the first time that Disney broke into a movie streaming show in such detail.

The theatrical performance of the film fell sharply in the following days than most Marvel films. Some Hollywood analysts and directors have questioned whether simplifying watching the movie at home is hurting the box office results. The National Association of Theater Owners, a lobby group for exhibitors, called the show "disappointing and abnormal" and evidence that exclusive theatre launches were the most profitable approach.

Internally, some Disney executives have been worried that a home launch would tarnish the general appeal of the Marvel brand, which has produced the biggest deals in Hollywood in recent years.

Marvel Disney Studios has had unprecedented success in modern Hollywood, releasing 24 titles that regularly collect over $ 1 billion in global ticket sales.

In turn, the films activate a revenue cycle from toy sales to theme park attractions. As the franchise grew, it became a magnet for big stars, who sign up to portray the heroes and villains of Marvel movies and shows.

"Black Widow" Star Scarlett Johansson Is Suing Disney For Streaming Strategy
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