Black Widow’s Disney+ release cost Scarlett Johansson millions (Report)

Scarlett Johansson’s time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has come to an end, but the actress who brought Black Widow to life on the big screen is about to embark a new battle — one which no Marvel fan likely saw coming.

As first reported by the Wall Street Journal and since confirmed by several reputable outlets, Johansson has filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court against Disney. The lawsuit, filed on July 29, comes nearly three weeks after the release of Black Widow in theaters and on Disney Plus, a move that seems to be behind Johansson’s suit against Disney.

The decision to release Black Widow on Disney Plus is said to have cost star Johansson millions which has led the long-time MCU actress to seek retribution against the company.

Why is Scarlett Johansson suing Disney?

Johansson has sued Disney for a Breach of Contract over the release structure for her ninth and final film in the franchise, Black Widow. According to reports, Johansson’s suit alleges Disney’s decision to release the film on both Disney Plus and in theaters was a breach of her agreement with Marvel Entertainment which guaranteed the film an exclusive theatrical release, with a salary based largely around the film’s box office performance.

"“Disney intentionally induced Marvel’s breach of the agreement, without justification, in order to prevent Ms. Johansson from realizing the full benefit of her bargain with Marvel,” the suit said."

How much did Scarlett Johansson lose by Black Widow going to Disney Plus?

According to sources familiar with the terms of Johansson’s Black Widow contract, Johansson is projected to have lost more than $50 million as a result of the film’s dual release format.

Like with many blockbuster films, Johansson’s pay for Black Widow is said to have been based on a series of box office bonuses which were directly affected by the decision to release the film on both Disney Plus and in theaters rather than exclusively in theaters, as originally agreed upon.