The tug of war between Scarlett Johansson and the Walt Disney Co. has finally come to an end. The parties stated that they have reached an amicable settlement in the first lawsuit between a star and a movie studio.
Since July, the star and the studio have been at war regarding streaming rights, which is now a new rule in the Covid-19 and post-pandemic period. The former claimed that Marvel had conducted a breach of her film contract by streaming ‘Black Widow’ simultaneously on Disney+.
The movie star claimed that simultaneous streaming had caused a loss in her earnings as they depended on the movie’s box office performance.
On terms on which the settlement was vested is not known as yet. However, both parties have announced in a joint statement to the media that they would work in unison. They are also involved in some fresh projects, and Disney’s ‘Tower of Terror’ is one of them.
There have been several movies that have had simultaneous releases recently in both cinema theaters and on online streaming platforms. The two-way release has kicked up some dust between the parties involved. There have been complaints from financiers, stars, and others involved, about the potential loss in their revenues due to the dual streaming.
The legal tussle between Johansson and Marvel-Disney has claimed the attentions of millions and is regarded as a milestone for future negotiations. The Black Widow franchise was a gigantic one among the past theatrical releases. Though theaters have had to make a great deal of adjustments because of the Covid pandemic, Black Widow has done well. A potential blockbuster, when released simultaneously on both platforms, is likely to decrease the number of people going to the theater to watch it.
Several people from the industry have voiced the need to relook at negotiations in these dynamic times. They are not only concerned with the potential loss of theatrical revenues, but are also apprehensive about the possibility of legal action. They now feel that the settlement between Disney and Johansson is the first step toward clarity in this field.
Image Credit Scarlet Johansson Twitter
