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Scarlett Johansson on the cover of Esquire
Benedict Cumberbatch has opened up about his Marvel Cinematic Universe co-star Scarlett Johansson’s lawsuit against Disney over the release of “Black Widow.”
Like countless other films, the release of Marvel’s summer feature film has been hampered by the coronavirus pandemic. After its delay, Disney announced that it would release “Black Widow” both in theaters and on the Disney + streaming platform for a premium price. However, this affected Johansson’s salary, which largely depended on box office sales which were now dwindling as people had the option of paying to stream his character’s first solo release from home. Now she is locked in a breach of contract lawsuit against Disney.
Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter, Cumberbatch, who plays Doctor Strange in superhero movies, called the situation “a bit of a mess.”
“Just the verbiage and accusations of ‘Put it in a global pandemic context.’ It’s all just a bit of a mess,” he explained. However, he hasn’t outright condemned either party, despite being set to release a standalone sequel to his 2016 film “Doctor Strange”.
DISNEY’S ‘BLACK WIDOW’ SETS A POSSIBLE WARMTH WITH THE THEATERS
Benedict Cumberbatch spoke about the Disney trial of Scarlett Johansson. (AP / AP Newsroom)
Instead, he blamed the current scattered climate in show business that has been disrupted by streamers like Disney + and HBO Max, which have sparked controversy among moviegoers over the past year and a half because pandemic restrictions prevent theaters from showing films at their usual capacity and rates.
“We’re trying to figure out what the sources of income should be for artists who contribute to the billion dollar business of Disney. And that needs to be contracted out. How does normal artist pay with bonuses work? at the box office, how does it work? It’s a new paradigm, and it’s very complex, “he explained. “No one saw it coming, and no one should use hindsight to say, ‘Well, it should have been done. “It was the first of those movies that was going to hit theaters during the pandemic and that was blocked, blocked and blocked. This is whole new territory.”
DISNEY’S ‘BLACK WIDOW’ IN NUMBERS
Disney has turned heads in its response statement to Johansson’s trial, trying to portray her as callous for wanting more than the $ 20 million she received from the release of “Black Widow” while theaters are in the theaters. struggling with the safety of their customers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The lawsuit is particularly sad and distressing in its callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said a spokesperson for Disney at the time. “Disney has fully lived up to Ms. Johansson’s contract and furthermore, the release of ‘Black Widow’ on Disney + with Premier Access has dramatically improved its ability to earn additional compensation on top of the $ 20 million it received as a result. day.”
However, Johansson hopes to hold the studio accountable for her contract, regardless of how much she’s earned or not.
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“This surely won’t be the last case where Hollywood talent stands up against Disney and makes it clear that whatever the company may claim, it has a legal obligation to honor its contracts,” said John Berlinski, attorney at Johansson. The Wall Street Journal previously.
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