How Much Has Disney Made Streaming Black Widow?

The Walt Disney Company remains at odds with actor Scarlett Johansson over her Black Widow contract. A new court filing reveals the extent of their streaming revenue for the film.

Actor Scarlett Johansson recently brought suit against the Walt Disney Company, alleging breach of contract.

Black Widow Release

Johansson both produced and starred in Black Widow, her ninth Marvel film. The film’s release had been delayed over a year due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The release for the film changed to meet the unique demands of a Covid-cautious market. Johansson alleges that offering the film on Disney+ (for a fee) in addition to releasing it in theaters will result in a considerably smaller paycheck for her.

Johansson’s contract for the film specifies certain bonuses at different box office achievements. Her base salary for the film was $20 million dollars.

Breach of Contract Accusations

Producers, like Johansson, often have a cut of box office revenue as part of their contract. She insists that by neglecting to respond to requests to renegotiate, her contract Disney is in breach of that contract.

Although the contract does not specifically state how the film will be released, it was signed back in 2019 before Disney+ debuted.

Related: Would Iger have handled the Black Widow Dispute better?

Court Filings

Recently, Disney filed to have the case go to private arbitration in New York City. Johansson filed suit in Los Angeles and requests a civil trial.

Today, in a new court filing, Disney revealed that they have taken in $125 million dollars in streaming revenue from Black Widow so far. The film has brought in nearly $170 million domestically and close to $370 million total worldwide.

Did you see the film? What do you think of the suit? Let us know in the comments on Facebook.

-Rebecca W Davis