Disney and Scarlett Johansson settle Black Widow streaming lawsuit

Black Widow star Scarlett Johansson has settled her lawsuit with Disney over the media giant’s release structure of the superhero movie.

In July, the actor alleged a breach of contract after Disney simultaneously released the film simultaneously in cinemas and on Disney+’s Premier Access programme.

Johansson’s salary was in part based on the film’s box office performance as the star was promised a “wide theatrical release” and that it was “well understood” this did not include streaming. It was estimated that the actor could have been out of US$50 million as a result of the move. 

Having settled the dispute, terms of the agreement have not been disclosed but a report from Deadline suggests that Disney had agreed to pay around US$40 million to the star. 

In a statement, Johansson said: “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.”

Disney Studios Content chairman Alan Bergman said: “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.”