Black Widow star Scarlett Johansson has discussed her infamous lawsuit with multimedia company Disney. Black Widow is one of the few select MCU films that was released this year as part of the fourth phase of Marvel Studios' franchise.
Black Widow was the character's supposed last film appearance after the events of Avengers: Endgame. The character had a solid fanbase and the films did a good job at giving heroes like her and Hawkeye a role in the big fights despite them both not having superpowers. She may have got a solo project later than most wanted, but fans were very welcoming of Black Widow, especially because it introduced fan-favorite Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova.
Of course, Disney's decision to release Black Widow in theaters and on Disney Plus for an additional fee prompted Johansson to sue the company. Since then, Johansson and Disney reached a settlement and now the Black Widow star has opened up about the situation. Speaking to Associated Press Entertainment and reflecting on her battle, Johansson said, "I think it's important in general to know your own worth and stand up for yourself. In this industry, I've been working for such a long time. It's been almost thirty years...There's so much that has shifted over those thirty years. I think sometime before, maybe, you would feel, 'Oh gosh. If I stand up for myself, I might never work again. Or I might be blacklisted in some way.'" The Marvel actress continues, "Thankfully, that's changing in the zeitgeist. And honestly, I think that happening in an industry that's as huge and universal as the entertainment industry is really important if I lead that charge."
The reason why Johansson decided to sue Disney is that her Black Widow contract said her salary was tied to box office sales in theaters and the film was supposed to be exclusively released in cinemas. Of course, because Disney later decided to make Black Widow available on its streaming service in the midst of a pandemic, theaters weren't nearly as packed as they used to be for a Marvel Studios blockbuster. Fewer people in theaters means fewer ticket sales, which means less money going to Johansson for her work as the lead star and an executive producer of Black Widow.
If a movie comes out in theaters and on a streaming service at the same time, viewers will look at it as a no-brainer. They'll ask themselves, "why would I go drive to and spend money at a theater during a pandemic when I can stay inside (for 'free') and watch this movie in the comfort of my own home?" So clearly, Johansson wanted Disney to pay up for lost revenue.
A big part of why people don't speak up for themselves is due to the fear and threat of being "blackballed" or "black listed." This means that nobody will hire you or work with you moving forward. People who stand up for themselves get viewed as "difficult" or "emotional" when sometimes all they're doing is standing up for themselves and understanding their self-worth. Many believe that if this lawsuit never happened, it could've gotten worse with how far actors will get taken advantage of.
Black Widow is currently available on Disney Plus
Source: AP Entertainment