Bryan Lourd, co-chairman of Creative Arts Agency (CAA), the company that represents Scarlett Johansson, addressed Disney's response to the Black Widow star's lawsuit against the company.
"[Disney has] shamelessly and falsely accused Ms. Johansson of being insensitive to the global COVID pandemic, in an attempt to make her appear to be someone they and I know she isn't," Lourd said in a statement, reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
"Scarlett has been Disney's partner on nine movies, which have earned Disney and its shareholders billions. The company included her salary in their press statement in an attempt to weaponize her success as an artist and businesswoman, as if that were something she should be ashamed of," Lourd said. "Scarlett is extremely proud of the work that she and all of the actors, writers, directors, producers, and the Marvel creative team have been a part of for well over a decade."
Lourd went on to say that the filing, which Disney referred to as "sad and distressing," was "a result of Disney's decision to knowingly violate Scarlett's contract." He also stated that the company's choice to move "revenue stream and profits" to Disney+ has left "artistic and financial partners out of their new equation." According to Lourd, Disney's response to Johansson was not only a "direct attack on her character," but is "beneath the company that many of us in the creative community have worked with successfully for decades."
It was reported on July 29 that Johansson is suing Disney, alleging the company breached her contract with the dual release for Black Widow, which was released simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access. The lawsuit filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court states Marvel Entertainment guaranteed an exclusive theatrical release for Black Widow and that part of Johansson's compensation would be based on the film's box office performance, which was diminished due to its release on Disney+ Premier Access.
In a statement released by Disney, the company also addressed the suit's "callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic." It also stated that "the release of Black Widow on Disney+ with Premier Access has significantly enhanced [Johansson's] ability to earn additional compensation on top of the $20M she has received to date." Johansson is reportedly projected to lose $50 million due to the dual release of her ninth and final Marvel film.
In an unprecedented move, Disney released the opening weekend streaming numbers for Black Widow earlier in July. The film earned over $60 million globally on Disney+ Premier Access, but the National Association of Theatre Owners blamed the release strategy for Black Widow's dropoff at the box office in its second weekend. IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond also blamed the Marvel film's poor performance on piracy as well as the dual release.
"They might be bringing some revenue forward, but there's no proof points that it's a better model," Gelfond said. "A lot of the same people, they will come to the same conclusion."
Source: THR