Scarlett Johansson and Disney settled a lawsuit brought by the actress over her pay for ‘Black Widow’

OSTN Staff

Scarlett Johansson in Black Widow
  • Scarlett Johansson and Disney settled a lawsuit brought by the actress in July over “Black Widow.”
  • Johansson argued the company violated their contract and cost her wages by releasing the film in theaters and on Disney+ at the same time.
  • Disney said the lawsuit had “no merit whatsoever.” The terms of the settlement were not disclosed.
  • See more stories on Insider’s business page.

Scarlett Johansson and The Walt Disney Company reached a settlement in a lawsuit brought by the actress over the company’s distribution of the Marvel movie “Black Widow.”

The terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but Johansson was seeking additional compensation for her work on the film.

“I am happy to have resolved our differences with Disney,” Johansson said in a statement provided to Insider. “I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done together over the years and have greatly enjoyed my creative relationship with the team. I look forward to continuing our collaboration in years to come.”

Alan Bergman, chairman of Disney Studios Content, said he was also happy to have resolved the dispute.

“I’m very pleased that we have been able to come to a mutual agreement with Scarlett Johansson regarding ‘Black Widow,'” he said in a statement. “We appreciate her contributions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and look forward to working together on a number of upcoming projects, including Disney’s ‘Tower of Terror’.”

Johansson filed the lawsuit against Disney in July, arguing that the company’s decision to release “Black Widow” simultaneously on its Disney+ streaming platform and in theaters violated her contract and cost her millions in income.

Johansson’s salary for the film was largely based on how it performed at the box office. Sources told The Wall Street Journal she was seeking as much as $80 million from Disney in addition to the $20 million she was already paid for the film.

Disney said the lawsuit had “no merit whatsoever” and was “especially sad and distressing in its callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Black Window” was originally slated for release on May 1, 2020, but was pushed back multiple times due to the pandemic. In March, Disney announced the film would be released in July in theaters and on Disney+, where subscribers could rent it for $30.

As of August, the film had grossed $367 million at the box office worldwide and $125 million on streaming.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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