Scarlett Johannson vs Disney is tip of the iceberg of Hollywood battle over pay for stars, filmmakers and writers in the streaming era
- Scarlett Johansson suing Disney after it streamed Black Widow at the same time as its cinema release and she lost potential earnings is just the start
- How should stars and filmmakers be paid for movies and TV shows when streaming subscriptions have replaced box office and ratings as benchmarks of success?
Natasha Romanoff – also known as Black Widow, the Marvel superspy portrayed by Scarlett Johansson – may have met her end in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. But Johansson’s lawsuit against Walt Disney could have an immortal legacy in Hollywood for the way it highlights a growing fight between studios and talent.
Johansson’s battle with the entertainment giant – in which she argues she was cheated out of pay by Disney’s decision to sell the movie Black Widow on Disney+ while it was in cinemas – is the latest and most high-profile example of a debate that’s been boiling under the surface in the entertainment industry. Disney says her case has no merit.
The bigger question facing studios, streaming services and talent agencies is: how should stars and filmmakers be paid for movies and TV shows now that the business model is shifting quickly from one based on box office and television ratings to one reliant on online subscriptions? Such issues could fuel contentious contract negotiations in 2023 with Hollywood’s major unions.
“The battles being waged by stars and participants over Black Widow and HBO Max are in many respects just the tip of the iceberg,” Russell Hollander, Directors Guild of America national executive director and chief negotiator, said in a statement.
For decades, top stars and filmmakers have made their fortunes by, yes, raking in significant salaries, but also by negotiating lucrative deals that could result in windfalls if their movies or shows were successful.