Actress Scarlett Johansson has filed a lawsuit against Disney
The effects of the coronavirus pandemic on all aspects of the business world cannot be understated, with many industries now facing questions over which direction to take as they enter a drastically different market than pre-pandemic. Johansson's lawsuit addresses one such conundrum that the entertainment industry is now being forced to contend with; how to adequately compensate talent in the era of streaming.
Under a typical release model, actors receive both upfront payments and bonuses based on box office performance. As Johansson's legal team asserts in their lawsuit, this form of compensation doesn't account for the explosive surge in streaming services' popularity, and the dual or direct-to-streaming release models many studios are now pursuing.
For Black Widow, Johansson was paid $20 million upfront and was contractually entitled to the aforementioned box office bonuses. In all, the film made roughly $160 million in box office sales and $60 million from debut sales on Disney+ (watching the movie at release cost $30, in addition to a user's subscription). Despite being the lowest-grossing Marvel branded film to date, it was pointed out by Johansson's legal team that Disney shares benefited from the film's release.
Johansson's suit is likely only the first of many to come, with the actress' legal team hoping to set a precedent for others to follow.
"Ignoring the contracts of the artists responsible for the success of its films in furtherance of this short-sighted strategy violates their rights, and we look forward to proving as much in court. This will surely not be the last case where Hollywood talent stands up to Disney and makes it clear that, whatever the company may pretend, it has a legal obligation to honor its contracts." Johansson's legal team said in their filing.
