Why Scarlett Johansson is attacking Disney after "Black Widow" is released
For the American actress, the simultaneous release of her film in theaters and on the Disney + streaming platform would have cost her millions of dollars. Attacked in court, the giant claims to have respected his contract.
No happy ending this time. After playing Russian spy Natasha Romanoff for the Marvel blockbuster series for a decade, Scarlett Johansson sues Disney. The reason: the simultaneous release in theaters and on the Disney + streaming platform of the film Black Widow, which would have cost him millions of dollars.
For Scarlett Johansson, Disney's decision constitutes a breach of contract. One of Hollywood's highest-paid stars was entitled to a percentage of the proceeds raised by the highly anticipated Marvel film, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday in a Los Angeles court. It states that "to protect her financial interests, Ms. Johansson secured a promise from Marvel that the film would be released in theaters," which she said meant it would not be available to stream immediately. And in theaters precisely, the film did not perform as expected, grossing $ 150 million in American theaters in three weeks. Box office experts believe that these disappointing numbers are in part due to its simultaneous streaming release.
"The Covid-19 as a pretext"
Black Widow, the first and final solo film for Scarlett Johansson in the costume of the superheroine, was slated for May 2020, before being repeatedly postponed due to the Covid pandemic. The film was finally released in July in theaters, but also on Disney +. A strategy that would only benefit the studio according to the star's lawyer, John Berlinski. “It's no secret that Disney is releasing films like Black Widow directly on [its streaming platform] to attract more subscribers and thus boost the company's share price - and invoke the Covid -19 as a pretext, he said in a statement to AFP. This is surely not the last time that Hollywood talent has stood up to Disney and made it clear that whatever the company may claim, it has a legal obligation to honor its contracts. "
"Disney wanted to draw film audiences away from theaters and to its own streaming service, where it could keep the revenue to itself while increasing the number of Disney + subscribers," the company seeking to "make money. », We read again. If the figures released by the company are to be believed, the strategy has paid off. After Black Widow's first weekend of exploitation, she issued a statement claiming the film had raked in "over $ 60 million" on Disney + alone, where it was available to subscribers, for an additional cost of $ 30. dollars.
"Crucial moment for Hollywood"
Disney, which owns Marvel Studios, which specializes in superheroes, said it did not violate the contract and brushed off the lawsuits with the back of their hands in a statement. “The complaint is particularly sad and distressing because it ignores the horrific and prolonged global impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.” "Disney has fully honored Ms. Johansson's contract," adds the company, which estimates that the release of Black Widow on its streaming platform has enabled Scarlett Johansson to earn additional income to the $ 20 million already received for the moment.
Rival studio Warner Bros. came under fire last year for making a similar move by releasing all of its films simultaneously to theaters and streaming. He had renegotiated many of his contracts with stars and directors, and reportedly paid more than $ 200 million to make up for the shortfall at the box office.
For CNN, Scarlett Johansson's complaint comes at a "crucial moment for Hollywood", when the health crisis has accelerated the rise of streaming and continues to destabilize the opening and attendance of movie theaters. In France, the entry into force on July 21 of the health pass in places of culture bringing together more than 50 people, including cinemas, had an immediate and negative impact on admissions, while the sector was trying to recover after month of closure.
