Scarlett Johansson's breach of contract lawsuit against the Walt Disney Company is quite rightly sending shockwaves through the industry that will have a lasting impact for years to come.
For those who might have missed the story so far: the Black Widow star said in a court filing last week that Disney dropping her solo Marvel movie on the Disney Plus streaming service at the same time it hit theaters was in breach of her contract. She alleges the move cost her millions of dollars in backend compensation as a result of bonuses that dependent on hitting certain box office targets.
Take a look at this impressive Black Widow cosplay below!
"Disney intentionally induced Marvel's breach of the agreement, without justification, in order to prevent Ms. Johansson from realizing the full benefit of her bargain with Marvel," the suit reads.
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Make no mistake: this is a huge move that will set a precedent for performers as we step into a post-pandemic world where big releases launch simultaneously at home and in theatres. Emma Stone is reportedly also considering suing Disney on similar grounds over the release of Cruella, and there are doubtless others out there weighing up options as you read this.
The good news, at least for Disney, is that it can take some comfort in knowing Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson has no interest in suing the company over Jungle Cruise. The new adventure movie, which Johnson stars in and co-produced alongside Emily Blunt, was released in cinemas and Disney Plus via Premiere Access last week.
Deadline has reported that Johnson and his Seven Bucks Productions "have no intention of battling Disney for any anticipated loss of dollars" from the day-and-date release of Jungle Cruise. The crucial difference between this and Black Widow, it seems, is that Johnson and his production company were presented with options in regards to a simultaneous release.
Featured Image Credit: Disney/Marvel