Earlier today, we reported that Black Widow star Scarlett Johansson had filed a lawsuit against the Walt Disney Co., alleging that her contract was breached when the Marvel Studios movie was released on Disney+ and in theaters simultaneously.
The actress claims that Disney was well aware that making the movie available to stream at the same time it hit the big screen would dissuade theatre attendance, but "did so anyway, knowingly and intentionally." We didn't expect Disney to address this head-on (not publicly, at least), but the House of Mouse has come out fighting.
A Disney spokesperson (via THR) issued the following statement.
“There is no merit whatsoever to this filing. The lawsuit is especially sad and distressing in its callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Disney has fully complied with Ms. Johansson’s contract and furthermore, the release of Black Widow on Disney+ with Premier Access has significantly enhanced her ability to earn additional compensation on top of the $20M she has received to date.”
That's... quite a response. Disney clearly has no intention of backing down and attempting to settle, so we could be looking at a lengthy court battle here.
What do you guys make of this situation? Are you choosing a side? Drop us a comment down below.
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Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.