Dispute over ‘Black Widow’ earnings resolved
The Black Widow won’t seek revenge on Disney after all. “Black Widow” star Scarlett Johansson has reached a settlement with the company over her earnings from the Marvel film, which came out in July. Because of the pandemic, Disney released the movie on its Disney+ streaming service contemporaneously with its theatrical debut. Johansson, whose contract included a clause that she would receive a share of the box office revenue, filed a lawsuit alleging the streaming release cost her money.
Disney responded acrimoniously, pointing out that Johansson had already made $20 million from the film. That all seems to be water under the bridge now, with Johansson releasing a statement that said, “I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done together over the years and have greatly enjoyed my creative relationship with the team,” she said. “I look forward to continuing our collaboration in years to come.”
“Black Widow” made $80 million in its opening weekend at North American box offices and $60 million worldwide on Disney+ that weekend. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but presumably the deal gives Johansson a cut of the Disney+ revenue.
Disney Studios Content chair Alan Bergman thanked Johansson for 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.'”
Marvel and Disney have once again begun releasing movies exclusively in theaters for their initial run, starting with “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” which came out in theaters last month and will be available to stream Nov. 12. Its box office revenues have lagged behind pre-pandemic Marvel releases.
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