Disney’s method of dual-releasing their films may be in serious jeopardy, following box office results. Emma Stone, who played the infamous Cruella villain in her solo flick, might follow in Scarlett Johansson’s route of suing Disney over unfair breaches in their contracts.
Cruella‘s Box Office Numbers Might Lead to Lawsuits Between Disney and Emma Stone
Just recently, it was announced that Scarlett Johansson is suing the big House of Mouse. This comes after the Black Widow official release for theaters and through Disney+ Premier Access. After a disappointing box office return, the former Avenger declared a breach in her contract. A portion of her salary was to be accumulated through box office numbers, which were expected to be high – being that this is the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s latest entry. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some changes had to be in order. The solution: simultaneously releasing Black Widow in theaters and on Disney+.
While this may be useful for audience members, it is the complete opposite for the big stars. Now, Emma Stone is planning on weighing in her options on how to deal with this manner with Disney. Due to the unexpected box office performance for Cruella, the star is speaking up. The news comes from Matt Belloni‘s What I’m Hearing… newsletter, which also mentions Emily Blunt as another potential star who might sue Disney. This assumption comes from Jungle Cruise‘s rather underwhelming box office performance.
Attorney John Berlinski, a representative for Scarlet Johansson, commented on the legal details of the sue, saying:
Disney intentionally induced Marvel’s breach of the agreement, without justification, in order to prevent Ms. Johansson from realizing the full benefit of her bargain with Marvel. This will surely not be the last case where Hollywood talent stands up to Disney and makes it clear that, whatever the company may pretend, it has a legal obligation to honor its contracts.”
Whether the stars are making millions of dollars or not, there was a critical breach in established negotiations. As stated in Berlinski’s words, we’ll definitely see more cases like these if the companies continue to implement the dual-release strategy. But in time, we shall see.
What are your thoughts on these contract breaches and dual-releasing? What side are you on, Emma Stone and Scarlet Johansson or Disney? Let us know in the comments below!
