Scarlett Johansson earned US$20 million for Black Widow, but she’s suing Disney for more – what the Marvel lawsuit means for Hollywood’s streaming wars

Aug 4 , 2021

It could have been the role to define her for years to come, but Scarlett Johansson is suing Disney over her first solo superhero outing in Marvel’s Black Widow. Photo: Disney

Marvel’s Black Widow might be the superhero movie of the summer – but many are watching it at home on Disney+ after its simultaneous streaming and cinema release

This cuts into Scarlett Johansson’s expected box office share and now the actress is suing Disney – after already earning a US$20 million ‘basic’ fee for the film

It was an unprecedented move when Disney debuted its first pandemic-era movie simultaneously on its streaming service and in cinemas.

Directors speculated on how doing so could impact the future of traditional filmmaking, streaming platforms followed suit to cash in on movies during a time when cinemas were largely shuttered, and many viewers were thrilled they could watch new films at home.

Scarlett Johansson plays the eponymous Black Widow. Photo: Marvel Studios/Disney

But since Marvel’s Black Widow debuted on Disney+ and in cinemas simultaneously, on July 9, its star Scarlett Johansson has filed a lawsuit against Disney. Here’s what you need to know about the sticky situation so far.

What happened?

Scarlett Johansson in Black Widow. Photo: Marvel Studios/TNS

On Thursday, Johansson’s lawsuit was made public and argued that Disney, which owns Marvel, violated her contract when it released Black Widow on its streaming platforms and in cinemas.

Johansson’s salary is largely based on box office performance – her character’s stand-alone film raked in US$158 million from cinema across the globe. However, Disney enjoyed a further US$60 million in home sales of the movie, which cost US$30 per customer.