Scarlett and Disney settle lawsuit over Black Widow release
Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson and studio Disney have settled her lawsuit over the streaming release of the actor’s superhero movie Black Widow. Though the terms of the settlement have not been disclosed yet, Johansson said she is happy to have resolved her “differences with Disney”, reported Variety.
“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,” the 36-year-old said in a statement on Thursday.
“We appreciate her contributions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and look forward to working together on a number of upcoming projects, including Tower of Terror,” Disney Studios chairman Alan Bergman said.
Johansson had sued the entertainment conglomerate for breach of contract over their decision to release Black Widow as a standalone film on Disney Plus and in theatres simultaneously.
In the lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court in July, the
Lucy actor contended that the streaming release of the Marvel Studios-backed movie breached her contract and deprived her of potential earnings.
Black Widow, featuring Johansson as the titular superhero, released in the theatres and on the streaming platform on July 9.
The actor’s lawyer said in the lawsuit that her contract guaranteed an exclusive theatrical release, with her potential earnings tied to the box office performance of the film.
At the time, The Walt Disney Co had responded to the lawsuit via a statement in which the studio said that the litigation showed a callous disregard to the pandemic and even revealed that she has so far received $20 million from the project.
In August, Disney revealed in a filing that the film had grossed $125 million on streaming, in addition to its $367 million box office gross. Directed by Cate Shortland, the 24th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) also featured actors Rachel Weisz, David Harbour and Florence Pugh.