It came as a surprise to everyone–Disney included, it seems–when Scarlett Johansson launched a lawsuit against the company for breach of contract regarding the release of her Marvel Studios film, Black Widow, to both theaters and the Disney+ streaming service. Now, the two parties have settled the suit, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“I’m happy to have resolved our differences with Disney,” Johansson said in a statement. “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.”
Meanwhile, Disney Studios chairman Alan Bergman offered the following statement:
“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.”
At the time of the suit, Johansson claimed that the studio had offered up her film, Black Widow, as a sacrifice to boost the Disney+ streaming service, despite having been written as a theatrical exclusive in her contract for the film. By moving the film to Disney+, the complaint alleged, it also saved the company the “very large box office bonuses” that Disney and Marvel Studios would have otherwise been obligated to pay the actor. Warner Bros., THR notes, reportedly set aside as much as $200 million to pay the stars of the huge slate of films like Wonder Woman 1984, Godzilla vs. Kong, and Dune for the fact that those films will be heading to HBO Max in addition to theaters.
The terms of the settlement have not been publicly disclosed, but Deadline reports the settlement as coming in at $40 million.
