🕷 Black Widow vs. Disney. How one missing word cost $50 million.

In 2021, Scarlett Johansson sued Disney. Yes, Marvel's biggest star was suing her own studio.
The price tag: 50 million dollars that the actress didn't receive.

🎬 The trap is interesting,
Johansson's contract was signed in 2017. It included a clause that the studio guaranteed a wide theatrical release for the film "Black Widow."
The actress's bonuses were directly tied to box office earnings in theaters.

But in 2021, COVID hit, and Disney decided to release the film simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ streaming.

People stayed home, bought subscriptions, and box office earnings plummeted. Scarlett was left without bonuses.


⚖️ The battle was long.

Johansson: "Hey, you killed my earnings to boost your streaming service."

Disney: "Read the contract again. We showed the film on 1500 screens? Yes. Was that a wide release? Yes. There's no mention of exclusivity in the text."
Because in 2017 no one thought to include the word "exclusive", Disney found a legal loophole.

💸 Scarlett had to wage a public war. Disney eventually paid her about $40 million in settlement to hush the scandal, but nerves and relationships were damaged.

The moral is simple.
We often sign contracts using standard terms.

What is obvious to us is not obvious to the other party's lawyer when money is involved.

🤖Yes, Scarlett didn't have Legiscan at hand. But you have it always nearby.