Actresses have a new enemy: Disney+.
Scarlett Johansson, star of Marvel’s latest movie “Black Widow”, filed a lawsuit on July 29 in Los Angeles Superior Court against Disney. She alleged her contract was breached when the media giant released the film on the Disney+ platform at the same time as it premiered in theatres.
Scarlett Johansson said in the suit that her agreement with Disney’s Marvel Entertainment guaranteed an exclusive theatre release. Her salary was based in large part on the box-office performance of the film – if it was only in theatres ticket sales might have been higher and the film might have surpassed the $1 billion mark.
This isn’t the first time Disney has done something like this. After Scarlett made the lawsuit public, rumours started to surge about other actresses considering joining the suit.
Other Actresses Join Scarlett
Emma Stone is reportedly considering suing Disney as well. The star of the film “Cruella” also faced a similar situation. The movie was released on the streaming platform at the same time as it was in theatres. Making just $21 million, “Cruella” was a poor runner up to Paramount’s “A Quiet Place 2.” The horror flick took in $48 million for the weekend, $58 million for the holiday run. It is believed the movie could have made at least $10 million more at the box office if it weren’t streaming.
With the new release of Jungle Cruise, many Disney fans have nothing but positive things to say about the film, but what do the actors think about Disney’s choice to have a hybrid release schedule?
Jungle Cruise not only debuted in theatres on July 30 but also Premier Access on Disney+. Premier Access allows viewers the option to purchase the film on their Disney+ account and watch it countless times at home.
Dwayne Johnson, who co-stars in the film with Emily Blunt, has already come forward and said he will not be taking legal action against the hybrid release – he noted he is actually on board with Premier Access.
On another hand, the film star Emily Blunt would be more likely to join the lawsuit against Disney. She starred in A Quiet Place II, which was directed by husband John Krasinski. Blunt is said to be against the hybrid release style. Both she and her husband ensured that Paramount+ would not interfere with the film’s theatrical release. The streaming service had to wait 45 days before having it available on the platform, which was actually shortened from what the couple originally was contracted for. The two seemingly have taken legal action against Paramount+ for that shortened timeline. This could mean that Blunt will not be so complacent when it comes to Jungle Cruise.
