American actress Scarlett Johansson has filed a lawsuit against Disney for allegedly breaching her contract regarding the release of the film "Black Widow" simultaneously in theaters. The film set a record for box office revenue amid the COVID-19 pandemic, earning $218 million when it debuted this month. However, ticket sales subsequently declined sharply, leading the movie star to claim she was denied potential earnings early on.
Johansson stated that Disney-owned Marvel Studios promised her a theatrical release to promote the film and that she understood it would be available after a short period. Media reports citing sources close to Johansson indicated that she lost out on earnings of approximately $50 million.
Traditionally, Hollywood audiences would go to theaters to view new releases or wait three months before they became available on streaming platforms, prior to the pandemic. Recently, major studios have been mixing theatrical and digital releases in various ways as part of efforts to regain viewers wary of contracting the virus in confined spaces. In this context, Warner Bros. is set to release "The Suicide Squad" next month in theaters and on the HBO Max platform simultaneously.
