With the pandemic still raging in 2021, Disney made the controversial decision to release Black Widow on its short-lived "Premier Access" service on Disney+. While it also played in theaters, this sealed the movie's fate as a box office flop, and for lead star Scarlett Johansson, that was a problem.
Her contract specified that she be paid millions of dollars in backend compensation, and the method in which Black Widow was released was a clear breach of contract. Why? Well, a guaranteed theatrical release was written into her deal, and when the actress looked to get what she was owed, former Disney CEO Bob Chapek came out fighting, revealing to the world that Johansson has been paid $20 million upfront (a no-no in Hollywood etiquette).
Eventually, the House of Mouse made things right and the Avengers: Endgame star reportedly receive upwards of $40 million according to Variety.
Reflecting on what happened while talking to the trade, Johansson says, "I was sad and disappointed. But mostly sad. It was such a surreal moment because we were all isolated and just sort of emerging a little bit. I was also really heavily pregnant, too, which in a weird way was amazing timing."
"Suddenly, your entire attention is drawn to this miracle of life. So, I had the most wonderful distraction in the world and soon after had a beautiful baby...I couldn’t even walk through a restaurant without somebody saying, 'Good for you. Stand up for yourself.' I could see that it had a bigger impact. I got support from strangers that have no skin in the game at all."
Johansson and Disney have since patched things up and she remains attached to Taika Watiti's movie based on the Tower of Terror theme park ride.
However, her time in the MCU as Natasha Romanoff is over. "Yeah, I am sad, of course," she says. "I absolutely loved every filming experience I had, working 10 years with Marvel and with that amazing cast, and I love the character Natasha. I have a lot of empathy for her, and it was amazing to build that character over such a long period of time."
"I also feel really good about her story coming to a close. I think she has a lot of dignity in her legacy."
You can read more from Johansson by following the link in the Tweet below.