Scarlett Johansson, known as Black Widow on the big screen, has filed a lawsuit against Disney alleging her contract was breached when the media giant released her spinoff film "Black Widow" in theaters and on Disney+ simultaneously.
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The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, and in the suit Johansson said her agreement with Disney's Marvel Entertainment guaranteed an exclusive theatrical release. She also said in the suit that her salary was based largely on the box-office performance of the film, The Wall Street Journal reported.
"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," the suit said.
The Journal reached out to Disney for comment, and they did not respond.
Johansson's attorney spoke with the Journal, saying this situation may become more common with the growth of streaming services. Decisions to prioritize streaming platforms have significant financial implications for actors and producers, he said.
"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," John Berlinski, an attorney at Kasowitz Benson Torres LLP, who represents Johansson, said.
Simultaneous releases became more popular for Disney during the pandemic. Another big movie to be released on the streaming platform was the live-action "Mulan."
Johansson's character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been a big part of the film franchise. She played one of the original six Avengers and appeared in eight MCU movies. SPOILER ALERT: Unfortunately, her character was killed in 2019's "Avengers: Endgame," the climactic finish to the original MCU storyline.
The complaint states that Johansson's representatives sought to renegotiate her contract after learning of the dual-release strategy for "Black Widow." However, the company was not responsive, according to the suit.
The decision to release the movie on Disney's streaming platform cost the actor more than $50 million, the Journal reported.
The film was set to be released in the summer of 2020 but was delayed due to the pandemic, as Disney wanted to wait until fans could see it in theaters. Even still, Johansson was concerned that the movie would end up on Disney+ as part of its wide release.
Due to this, her representatives for the actress reached out to Marvel seeking assurance that the move would only see a theatrical release in 2019, the complaint claimed.
Emails from Marvel Chief Counsel Dave Galluzzi in 2019 said the release would be according to a traditional theatrical model.
It also said, "We understand that should the plan change, we would need to discuss this with you and come to an understanding as the deal is based on a series of (very large) box office bonuses."
The movie grossed $80 million at the domestic box office on opening weekend and $78 million overseas. From at-home purchases on Disney+, which cost watchers $30, the film made $60 million.
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