With movies properly and actually again in theatres, it’s simple to overlook that point when Disney began to launch its movies immediately onto streaming through the pandemic. Marvel Studios’ Black Widow was one of many first main blockbusters to aim this and it resulted in an sudden set of issues when starring actress Scarlett Johansson determined to sue Disney for its twin launch technique.
Johansson filed a lawsuit over a breach of contract which allegedly occurred when Disney opted to launch Black Widow onto streaming similtaneously its theatrical premiere. The lawsuit claimed that this various launch technique prevented Johansson “from realizing the total good thing about her discount with Marvel.”
The problems have been resolved in Fall 2021 when Disney and Johansson reached a mutual settlement for an undisclosed settlement quantity, which was believed to be over $40 million within the actor’s favor.
Nearly a 12 months on, Disney’s new CEO has addressed the corporate’s relationship with the Black Widow star.
Disney’s Present Relationship With Scarlett Johansson

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Disney CEO Bob Chapek spoke in regards to the firm’s present relationship with Scarlett Johansson and revealed some context behind the controversial Disney+ launch technique.
When it got here to Disney’s present partnership with Johansson, Chapek stated optimistically it has “by no means been higher.”:
“There have been lots of people that acquired a vote in how we dealt with that. And I used to be one voice, and I’ll simply say that our relationship together with her company and her has by no means been higher.”

Chapek additionally gave some perception into the streaming launch technique that induced the entire ordeal, revealing that the corporate “dramatically underestimated” how a lot content material Disney+ would require.
“It’s necessary to return to when Disney+ was launched and what the speculation was about how a lot meals you needed to give that system for it to actually maximize its potential, and I might say we dramatically underestimated the hungry beast and the way a lot content material it wanted to be fed.”
The CEO stated that when the pandemic occurred they turned “fully constrained” and needed to make a “very troublesome determination” concerning their content material:

“As we have been realizing that, COVID hit and we have been fully constrained by way of making new issues. So we had very valuable few issues that have been trickling into our system, and we needed to make the very troublesome determination the place to place these issues. When the theatrical world was shut down due to COVID, it was type of a simple determination. You both postpone it for a pair years — and we began suspending, as you keep in mind — however we additionally had this type of empty pipeline into this crucial strategic initiative for the corporate, which was Disney+.”
Chapek stated it was this coupled with subscriber demand that result in them “diverting content material that was initially supposed for theaters” while additionally placing a plan in place to “reap the benefits of the alternatives in theatrical:
“Our viewers, our subscribers have been asking for extra so we began diverting content material that was initially supposed for theaters earlier than Disney+ was even envisioned. However at that exact same time, we began a really methodical plan to attempt to decide how a lot content material we as an organization would wish to totally reap the benefits of the alternatives in theatrical, as a result of we love the theatrical enterprise, and the way a lot we would wish to have the ability to feed the content material pipes that have been main into Disney+ in order that we will embrace that chance.”
Now, a couple of years into Disney+’s lifecycle, Chapek stated the corporate has a “full understanding of what’s wanted” and so they’d not must “steal content material” for various launch pipelines.
“Now that manufacturing is again totally and we’ve a full understanding of what’s wanted, proper about now — this fall — we’re ready to totally program theatrical exhibition, with out having to steal content material from one place or one other, in addition to our streaming companies.”
Scarlett Johansson’s Disney FutureAlmost a 12 months on from the Black Widow settlement settlement, it’s optimistic to listen to that Johansson’s relationship with Disney has remained amicable.
The actress has numerous future initiatives within the works with the media big, together with starring in a Tower of Terror movie based mostly on the Disneyland trip, and a producing function on a secret Marvel Studios title.
Black Widow’s Disney+ launch technique, which additionally impacted movies like Mulan and Jungle Cruise, appears to have been a studying curve for the corporate that got here out of the evolving nature of streaming and the problems of the pandemic.
Former Disney CEO Bob Iger stated in an interview earlier this 12 months that “all the pieces is altering actually quick” and that the rise of digital media is quickly impacting how issues work within the movie business. Disney wasn’t the one firm to trial such a technique through the pandemic, with the likes of WarnerMedia releasing a lot of its 2021 blockbusters straight onto HBO Max, which was met with comparable controversy.
Hopefully, now that a while has handed, Disney is ready to take these learnings from the Black Widow lawsuit and alter its launch methods to fulfill the evolving realities of the digital world.

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