Could this lawsuit change how movies are released on streaming platforms? Scarlett Johansson filed a lawsuit Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court against Disney for breaching her contract by releasing her final Marvel movie Black Widow on its streaming service at the same time as its theatrical debut. Johansson’s contract with Disney’s Marvel Entertainment guaranteed an exclusive theatrical release and based her salary on the movie’s box-office performance. Before the pandemic, Johansson expressed concerns that Black Widow could be released on Disney+ as well as a theatrical release. In 2019, Johansson’s representatives reached out to Marvel seeking assurance that Black Widow would have a theatrical-only release. Johansson’s representatives then attempted to renegotiate her contract after learning of the new day-and-date strategy for Black Widow during the pandemic, but Disney and Marvel were allegedly unresponsive. According to the Wall Street Journal, the decision to put the movie on Disney+ has cost Johansson more than $50 million. Read More...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Thursday, 29 July, 2021