Disney settles dispute with Scarlett Johansson over Black Widow
American actress Scarlett Johansson and Disney studios have reached a settlement over lawsuit instituted by the star as regards her compensation for movie, Black Widow.
The super hero movie in which Johansson starred as the main character, was originally due for release in theatres last year, but was delayed multiple times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The film was finally released in theatres and Disney+ simultaneously in July.
The original agreement, according to the star was that the movie would be exclusively released in cinemas, and she would be entitled to a percentage of the ticket sales.
However, like many streaming services, Disney had released some of its movies on Disney+ during the COVID-19 pandemic to enable viewers watch at home, rather than in cinemas.
One of the highest paid stars in Hollywood, Johansson filed a lawsuit at Los Angeles superior court in July alleging breach of contract on the part of the company.
According to her, the Disney+ release had cost her millions of dollars in box office sales.
In what resulted to a back and forth, a company spokesperson in a statement to AFP said the filing had no merit and was “sad and distressing in its callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged global effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
The statement also claimed that the company fully complied with the contract and that the Disney+ streaming release “has significantly enhanced her ability to earn additional compensation on top of the $20M she has received to date.”
Johansson’s lawyer had fired back saying the company had tried to weaponise her success while refusing to keep to terms of their agreement.
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