Scarlett Johansson once sued Marvel over the release of her solo movie, Black Widow, and has recently discussed the “grudge.” Black Widow was released in June 2021 as the first movie of MCU Phase 4 and the Multiverse Saga as a whole. Despite launching an entirely new trajectory for the MCU timeline, it was a prequel that mostly took place between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War. Unfortunately, the release was a tumultuous matter and led to a legal dispute revolving around the film’s box office results.
When discussing the release with The New York Times, Johansson insisted that she does not hold a grudge against Disney now. The dispute surrounded what Johansson and her team believed to be a mishandling of the movie’s release, and as such, it is heartening to know that no animosity remains between her and Marvel. Her full quote can be read below:
“I don’t hold a grudge. I think it was just poor judgment and poor leadership at that time. It just felt very unprofessional to me, the entire ordeal. And honestly, I was incredibly disappointed, especially because I was holding out hope until, finally, my team was like, ‘You have to act.'”
Why Scarlett Johansson Sued Marvel & MCU Future Explained
Black Widow earned a worldwide box office of $380 million, which during the COVID pandemic was a not inconsiderable result. However, this still placed it as the third-lowest-grossing MCU movie at the time (before The Marvels would push it to fourth). Johansson and her team alleged that Disney’s decision to release the movie on Disney Plus at the same time as its theatrical release was largely to blame for the movie’s box office.
With this in mind, the reason Johansson decided to sue Disney was because she claimed it breached a clause in her contract that stipulated that it would be released exclusively in theaters. Johansson was also an executive producer on her solo movie, meaning she had invested significantly in its success. A subpar theatrical performance would mean that Johansson’s box office bonus would have been significantly impacted. This is what Johansson’s case suggested Disney had intended in an alleged attempt to quash box office sales and sidestep paying out.
At the time of the dispute, Marvel Studios reported that Johansson received a $20 million flat fee for her work on the movie.
The lawsuit was settled behind closed doors, although The Hollywood Reporter reported that it was to the tune of $40 million. Now that the dust has settled, the potential for Black Widow‘s MCU return is more likely, but still curtailed by the fact that Johansson’s character remains dead in-universe. In the context of the Multiverse Saga, however, there is still a chance for a Black Widow variant cameo down the line in Avengers: The Kang Dynasty or Avengers: Secret Wars.
