Scarlett Johansson’s lawsuit with Disney over Black Widow has been settled

Last Updated on October 4, 2021

It looks like Scarlett Johansson and Disney have decided to play nice in regards to her Black Widow lawsuit. It has been announced that Johansson and Disney have settled the breach of contract lawsuit that made big news over the summer.

The terms of the settlement weren’t disclosed but according to “Deadline“, their sources indicate that Johansson is likely to see $40 million more in her pocket when this is all said and done. They also say this will not be paid by Disney in one lump sum. Scarlett Johansson had this to say in the following 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.”

Playing in a similarly nice fashion was Disney Studios chairman Alan Bergman who added, “I’m very pleased that we have been able to come to a mutual agreement with Scarlett Johansson regarding Black Widow. 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.”

Until the statement from Disney, I completely forgot that Johansson was working with them on Tower of Terror so it really drives home the fact that this lawsuit needed to be settled in the most civil way possible because, at this present time, they both need each other. This could’ve gotten messy really quick and put an end to a working relationship that has spanned over ten years. While some of us would’ve loved to see her stick it to Disney, this was probably the best possible outcome.

As you probably remember, Johansson filed a suit that claimed that the studio sacrificed the film’s box office potential in order to grow its fledgling Disney+ streaming service. Disney countered that Johansson was paid $20 million for the film. In her complaint, Johansson said the Marvel tentpole had been guaranteed an exclusive theatrical release when she signed her deal. Johansson alleged that her contract was breached when the film was simultaneously released on Disney+.

Black Widow, which has earned $379 million at the worldwide box office to date, debuted at the same time in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access for an additional $30. In what was viewed by rival studio executives as a major miscalculation, Disney then boasted about the film earning $60 million during its opening weekend on the streaming platform. These are figures that the studio never made public before and this opened the door for a fierce clash between the star and the studio. As a star and producer on the project, Johansson was guaranteed a piece of the box office profits and it was clear that her deal didn’t factor in earnings the film would be earning via streaming on Disney+.

What are YOUR thoughts on the settlement?