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 Terms of the settlement between
Disney and Johansson's Periwinkle Entertainment
company were not disclosed.
Johansson, 36, sued Disney in July, accusing the
entertainment giant of breaching her contract
when the company offered the movie on its
subscription streaming service Disney+ at the
same time the film was playing in theaters.
Her complaint, filed in Los Angeles County
Superior Court, argued that the dual-release
strategy for "Black Widow" had reduced her
compensation, which she said was to be based in
part on box office receipts from an exclusive
run in cinemas.
Disney had countered at the time that there was
"no merit" to the lawsuit and asserted that the
studio had complied with terms of Johansson's
contract.
The company also said then that Johansson's
lawsuit demonstrated a "callous disregard" for
the risks to movie audiences during the COVID-19
pandemic.
The dispute was closely watched for possible
ramifications in Hollywood as media companies
seek to build their streaming services by
offering premium content to lure in subscribers.
"Black Widow," which debuted on July 9 in
theaters and for a $30 charge on Disney+, has
grossed more than $378 million in worldwide
theater receipts, according to film tracking
service Box Office Mojo. The feature also
generated about $60 million through streaming
purchases in its first 20 days in release,
Disney has said.
[to top of second column]
|
 Johansson starred as fictional
Russian assassin-turned-Avenger superhero, a
role she has played in nine Marvel films.
"I'm very pleased that we have been able to come
to a mutual agreement with Scarlett Johansson
regarding 'Black Widow,'" Alan Bergman, content
chairman for Disney Studios, said in a statement
on Thursday. He said the company
looked forward to working with Johansson on a
"number of upcoming projects," including
previously reported plans for her to produce and
star in a film based on Disney's "Tower of
Terror" theme park rides.
Johansson said she, too, was happy to have
resolved her differences with the company and
looked forward to further collaboration.
"I'm incredibly proud of the work we've done
together over the years and have greatly enjoyed
my creative relationship with the team," her
statement said.
Johansson topped Forbes magazine's list of the
world's highest-paid actresses in 2018 and 2019,
with pre-tax earnings reported to have totaled
$56 million from June of 2018 to June of 2019.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine in Los Angeles and
Bhargav Acharya in Bengaluru; Editing by Steve
Gorman and Sandra Maler)
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