Scarlett Johansson and Disney have reached a settlement over her lawsuit that accused the studio of sabotaging the theatrical release of “Black Widow” to prop up streaming stats for Disney Plus.
Terms of the settlement were not disclosed. Johansson had demanded a $50 million payout from the studio.
ScarJo said in a statement, “I am happy to have resolved our differences with Disney. 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, the chairman of Disney Studios Content, said he, too, was pleased to have resolved the dispute.
He said, “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 had accused Disney of reneging on its promise to do a traditional theatrical release for “Black Widow,” in favor of a simultaneous release on Disney Plus. The suit alleged that Johansson lost out on tens of millions of dollars in box office bonuses.
Disney had fired back in unusually personal terms at the A-list star, accusing her of displaying “callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.” The studio also disclosed that Johansson had been paid $20 million for her work on the project.
Source: Variety, Hollywood Reporter.
Photo Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.