Scarlett Johansson's black widow trial echoes Marvel's biggest controversy
Scarlett Johansson's Black Widow lawsuit echoes Marvel's longest-running controversy. No doubt Disney was aware that its decision to release Black Widow simultaneously in theaters and on Disney + would be controversial, but they probably never imagined how much. Scarlett Johansson is suing Disney in Black Widow's Disney + release, arguing that her salary was tied to the film's box office performance and that the simultaneous streaming release constitutes a breach of contract.
Basically, there's a simple question behind this: who gets paid for a superhero success story? It's surprisingly similar to the long-standing issues faced by writers and artists who work for large comic book publishers on pay-for-work contracts, and are not compensated when their characters and plots are brought to the fore. big screen. It's a problem as old as Marvel Comics itself, with even Jack Kirby - involved in the creation of Captain America, the Fantastic Four, Iron Man, and the Eternals - angered by the lack of financial compensation. More recently, Ed Brubaker, the creator of The Winter Soldier, admitted he had mixed feelings about the success of The Winter Soldier, while prolific author Ta-Nehisi Coates criticized Marvel for the way he often treats the creators. . But Johansson's situation is also reminiscent of a specific case in the '90s when the practices of Marvel Comics cost them dearly, even leading to the creation of a rival publishing house.
In the 90s, a group of prolific comic book artists became dissatisfied with their treatment by Marvel. Rob Liefeld and Todd McFarlane had risen to prominence in recent years with successful races featuring Spider-Man and X-Force, and they came to believe that the best way to change the industry was through a Marvel's massive exodus. In his book Marvel Comics: The Untold Story, Sean Howe notes that Liefeld and McFarlane knew they needed a “companion” on board, someone Marvel would never expect to leave them, and they focused on Jim Lee. Lee had become unhappy that he was not receiving money from the sales of merchandise associated with his art, and when Marvel asked him to go to New York for a comic book auction, he was shocked to 'learn that the company would not pay. for his wife's plane ticket. “That's the wrong thing to say to a guy like Jim,” observed McFarlane. “Jim is doing his homework. He knows he's probably made $ 22 million in the last three months… can't they even buy a $ 200 plane ticket? " And so, in the end, Lee joined what has come to be known as X-odus, so named due to its impact on the X-Men line and Marvel's mutants. Like Johansson, these people had had enough, and decided to take a stand and left to form Image Comics.
Image Comics still exists today and is considered the third of the “Big Three,” behind the older and established Marvel and DC companies, which benefit from their common universes and long, but still remarkable history. The main difference between Image and these two companies, however, is that the creators retain their media rights, which means they profit from the wares, links, and adaptations. Image’s most successful franchises include household names such as The Walking Dead and Invincible, giving some idea of their influence in popular culture. Marvel's working practices have literally led to the establishment of a new, enduring rival.
Disney's treatment of his talent isn't going to lead to the birth of a new competitor, but it risks damaging their reputation, and it's quite possible that actors, directors, and producers will be a little more wary in their dealings with them. cheeky. Already other actors are considering following Johansson's lead - Emma Stone is reportedly considering suing Disney for Cruel, for example - which means it will only get worse. The damage to reputation and the costs of working relationships may well ultimately outweigh the money Disney has made from its dual approach on films like Black Widow.
More: All 13 Marvel TV Shows Released After Black Widow
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) Release date: Sep 03, 2021
Eternals (2021) Release date: November 05, 2021
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) Release date: Dec 17, 2021
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022) Release date: Mar 25, 2022
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022) Release date: May 06, 2022
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever / Black Panther 2 (2022) Release date: Jul 08, 2022
Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023) Release date: Feb. 17, 2023
Wonders / Captain Marvel 2 (2022) Release date: Nov.11, 2022
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) Release date: May 05, 2023
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About the Author
Thomas bacon
(4030 articles published)
Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant's staff editors, as well as a mentor for new writers and a member of the care team, providing support and a listening ear to members of the Comics group. A longtime fan of big franchises like Star Wars, Doctor Who and Marvel, Tom is thrilled his childhood is back - and this time it's cool. He has strong relationships with various fan communities and is a moderator for some of Facebook's biggest MCU and X-Men groups; you can find him on Twitter @TomABacon. A graduate of Edge Hill University, Tom remains closely linked to his alma mater as a volunteer chaplain. He is heavily involved in his local church, and anyone who consults him on Twitter will quickly learn that he is also involved in British politics.
