Scarlett Johansson and The Walt Disney Company have been in business for quite some time now, with many of those dealings having to do with her work within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, in 2021, Johansson and Disney became engaged in a legal battle involving one of her MCU films, Black Widow. The lawsuit Johansson filed against the studio was eventually settled, and the two sides have collaborated since. Now, Johansson’s opening up about the lack of public support she received from her peers at that time.
The specific reason Johansson filed suit against Disney was due to a reported breach of contract due to the studio simultaneously releasing Black Widow in theaters and Disney+. Disney made that move amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which impacted moviegoing, though Johansson’s contract reportedly guaranteed an exclusive theatrical release window. At the time, Disney said the suit had no merit and that with the chosen release method, Johansson’s earning potential had supposedly grown.
At this point, comments that have been shared by the Jurassic World Rebirth star suggest she wouldn’t have done anything differently when it came to the legal action she took. She did admit to The Daily Telegraph, however, that she would’ve appreciated public support from some of her fellow actors:
I mean, it would be great to have more support from the community and my peers – vocally, publicly – on certain issues that affect the entire industry. It’s always helpful to have more voices, you guys!
Nevertheless, Scarlett Johansson noted that even when a person speaks out alone, it “can still be really effective” and, in her legal matter, that proved to be the case. Disney ultimately settled with Johansson two months after the lawsuit was filed and, while the specifics initially weren’t divulged, it was later reported that the settlement was worth $40 million. The situation, as a whole, represented the change in which films are being released due to the shifting entertainment landscape, and Johansson spoke to that as well:
As we moved from the model of theatrical box-office bonuses to understanding how that translated to streaming, it had just become this nebulous thing, with no guidelines around it. So to be able to impact that moves everything in the right direction. But yes, I would welcome more support.
Johansson has reflected on her lawsuit on multiple occasions since it was settled in 2021. While speaking about it in 2024, Johansson said she wasn’t one to “hold a grudge” and that she chalked the dispute up to “poor judgment and poor leadership at that time” on the House of Mouse’s part. One “good thing” Johansson believes came out of the situation is that she could “shoulder the burden” when it came to advocating for her desired pay within this period of transition in Hollywood.
Despite that spat, Scarlett Johansson and Disney collaborated on one of the MCU films that released amid the 2025 movie schedule – Thunderbolts*, on which she served as an executive producer. At present, Johansson and the entertainment conglomerate are also trying to get a Tower of Terror film off the ground and, earlier this year, she said she’s confident they’ll “crack” that film. It can’t be said for sure why other stars didn’t publicly back Johansson up during the lawsuit but, in any case, it seems she’s pleased with the result.