While there are likely a number of fences that still need some mending, it looks like things are trending back in the right direction, as Scarlett Johansson and Walt Disney Studios have come to a settlement agreement over her blockbuster breach of contract lawsuit.
While terms of the deal were not disclosed, Deadline has learned that the settlement is reportedly in excess of $40 million, which won't be paid in one giant lump sum.
The 2x Academy Award-nominated actress initially filed the lawsuit in July, and claimed that Disney had chosen to sacrifice the full box office potential of her summer tentpole, Marvel Studios' Black Widow, in order to boost the subscriber numbers for their burgeoning Disney+ streaming service. As a result, her guarantee of an exclusive theatrical release was violated and she ended up losing out on a significant chunk of money.
To date, Black Widow has grossed over $378.8 million worldwide and is said to have earned over $125 million through Disney+ Premier Access. This is a pretty respectable haul on its $200 million production budget, but it's a far cry from what the Cate Shortland-directed film could've potentially earned had it be a theatrical-only release, especially for a hero of her stature.
For comparison's sake, Universal's F9 grossed over $716.6 million globally, opening domestically just two weeks prior.
As for where the two sides go from here, it looks like both Johansson and Disney are keen to work together again fairly soon as the latter has seemingly confirmed that Tower of Terror is still very much in the works.
In her statement, Johansson said, “I am happy to have resolved our differences with Disney. I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done together over the years and have greatly enjoyed my creative relationship with the team. I look forward to continuing our collaboration in years to come.”
Disney Studios chairman Alan Bergman added, “I’m very pleased that we have been able to come to a mutual agreement with Scarlett Johansson regarding Black Widow. We appreciate her contributions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and look forward to working together on a number of upcoming projects, including Disney’s Tower of Terror.”