Seriously, Disney, you’re not lookin’ so good.
In the wake of the $319.8 billion entertainment media conglom calling Scarlett Johansson’s breach of contract Black Widow suit a “callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged global effects of the Covid-19 pandemic” and outing her base salary of $20M on the Marvel Cinematic Universe film exclaiming that the Disney+ with Premier Access will compensate her well enough, Women in Film, ReFrame and Time’s Up have weighed in, calling the Mouse House out.
“While we take no position on the business issues in the litigation between Scarlett Johansson and The Walt Disney Company, we stand firmly against Disney’s recent statement which attempts to characterize Johansson as insensitive or selfish for defending her contractual business rights,” said the orgs in a joint statement this afternoon.
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“This gendered character attack has no place in a business dispute and contributes to an environment in which women and girls are perceived as less able than men to protect their own interests without facing ad hominem criticism,” the statement continued.
In response to Johansson’s legal filing over the studio breaking its agreement with her for an exclusive theatrical release (thus diluting a great degree of her bonuses, a Disney spokesperson said in full Thursday: “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.”
The two-time Oscar nominee’s agent CAA co-chairman Bryan Lourd blasted Disney today for shaming her publicly and “deliberately” moving “the revenue stream and profits” of Black Widow “to the Disney+ side of the company leaving artistic and financial partners out of their new equation.”
Disney Strikes Back Over Scarlett Johansson’s ‘Black Widow’ Lawsuit, Reveals Her $20 Million Payday