Things We Saw Today: Disney Tries to Force the Scarlett Johansson Lawsuit into Arbitration
Plus Funkos, The Eternals, and more!
Scarlett Johansson’s lawsuit against Disney continues, as the studio has filed a motion to force Johansson into private arbitration. Johansson claims that she lost out on millions after Disney decided to release the film both in theaters and on Disney+, cutting into her theatrical profits.
The lawsuit has already turned nasty, after the studio made misogynistic claims that targeted Johansson’s success. Groups like Time’s Up spoke out in defense of Johansson, accusing Disney of making gendered attacks toward the actor.
Disney’s move towards private arbitration is no doubt an attempt to downplay the bad press they’ve received since attacking the popular actor. Johansson’s attorney John Berlinski released a statement saying, “After initially responding to this litigation with a misogynistic attack against Scarlett Johansson, Disney is now, predictably, trying to hide its misconduct in a confidential arbitration, … Why is Disney so afraid of litigating this case in public? Because it knows that Marvel’s promises to give ‘Black Widow’ a typical theatrical release ‘like its other films’ had everything to do with guaranteeing that Disney wouldn’t cannibalize box office receipts in order to boost Disney Plus subscriptions. Yet that is exactly what happened — and we look forward to presenting the overwhelming evidence that proves it.”
Johansson’s lawsuit could have huge ramifications for the hybrid theatrical release model that many studios are implementing. And few actors possess the status and finances to take on an entire studio. After all, Johansson has appeared in nine Marvel movies as a core member of the Avengers, a franchise that has earned Disney billions of dollars. If she says she’s owed something, Disney would be smart to listen and settle this lawsuit before they receive any more bad press.
(via Variety, image: Disney/Marvel)
- Check out this model miniature of the Batwing from 1989’s Batman. (via CBR)
- Denis Villeneuve hints at plans for a Dune trilogy. (via Collider)
- Funko has released images of the Pops based on characters in Marvel’s Eternals. (via io9)
- Jackie Chan fans noticed the callback to the star’s signature move in Shang-Chi. (via THR)
- Reminiscence director Lisa Joy on nostalgia and memory. (via Polygon)
- Here’s the twisty history of the unreleased Hellraiser video games. (via Bloody Disgusting)
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— Christopher Golden (@ChristophGolden) August 20, 2021
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