Scarlett Johansson vs. Disney: Why Executives Spend Money on Streaming When Creators Don’t

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Jonathan Fethian in cinemas amid the coronavirus pandemic

Scarlett Johansson made headlines Thursday when she sued Disney over her release of the day and date of “Black Widow” on Disney+ and in theaters, citing a breach of contract.

Since the lawsuit was filed, Disney has responded with a strong statement and the move has sent ripples across the entertainment community as rumors spread that Emma Stone, the “Cruella” star of a similar release, was considering filing her own lawsuit.

Such a day-and-date version – which was also used to release “Mulan” and more recently “Jungle Cruise” – was initially released due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which has halted movie releases for several months.

Subscribers to the popular streaming device had to pay an extra $30 on top of their subscription fee to see the movie if they chose not to go to the cinemas.

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As the situation is likely to become more acute for Mouse House, here’s a look at why CEOs make money from live broadcasts, but stars like Johansson don’t.

Scarlett Johansson cited breach of contract in a lawsuit against Disney over her release of The Day and Date of Black Widow. (Jay Maidment/Marvel Studios-Disney via AP, File/AP Images)

Massive films with star lead roles are often subject to back-end deals that see the stars earn a second paycheck if the film exceeds a certain amount, according to Time.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is notorious for using such practices with Robert Downey Jr. negotiating himself with mind-blowing raid deals that have consistently put him on the highest-paying lists for years.

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Johansson, 36, said in court documents that her salary for the movie was tied to box office performance in a similar way, and a theatrical release was guaranteed in her contract, leaving her out of $50 million thanks to the many viewers who chose to watch the movie at home. Instead of theaters – despite the film’s impressive box office performance anyway.

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While Johansson may have missed out on big money, the executives most likely didn’t.

Not even two years old, Disney+ has expected subscribers a few times and has proven to be a big novice competitor like HBO Max.

Additionally, the streaming device has seen an increase in subscription numbers and app downloads which is largely attributed to the addition of popular titles like “Hamilton” for 2020.

Johansson claimed she missed out on at least $50 million in bonuses due to her box office performance. (Marvel Studios/Disney via AP, File/AP Images)

It’s not uncommon for streaming services to share exact numbers, but in a moment of pride, Disney announced that it earned $60 million in Disney+ purchases for the film, per Variety, which saw its stock price soar shortly after. Announcing the day and date release of “Black Widow” also gave a boost to the stock, meaning CEOs and shareholders received a paycheck.

Such successes almost certainly fill the pockets of Disney VIPs such as CEO Bob Schack and his colleagues who oversee Disney+, which have made huge efforts to grow exponentially by making titles like “Soul” and “Luca” exclusive to the series, as well as The development of several shows that fall under the umbrellas of Marvel and Star Wars – two of the most profitable brands the company owns.

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The exact salaries given to the executives — and whether they received bonuses based on film performance — is unclear.

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