Scarlett Johansson’s agent slams Disney for lawsuit response

Scarlett Johansson attends the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 09, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California.

David Crotty | Patrick McMullan | Getty Images

“Black Widow” star Scarlett Johansson’s powerhouse agent on Friday slammed Walt Disney for accusing the actor of “callous disregard” for the dangers of Covid-19 to the moviegoing public.

Bryan Lourd, who is co-chair of talent agency giant CAA, also suggested Disney was not playing fair by publicly revealing Johansson’s $20 million salary for the Marvel Entertainment movie. That figure had not previously been shared publicly.

Lourd said Disney’s response to Johansson’s lawsuit was “an attempt to make her appear to be someone they and I know she isn’t.”

Disney’s comment came hours after the “Black Widow” star filed a lawsuit against the company Thursday, claiming it had breached her contract when it released the film on its streaming service Disney+ at the same time it debuted in theaters.

“There is no merit whatsoever to this filing,” Disney said. “The lawsuit is especially sad and distressing in its callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged global effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Johansson, like many Marvel veterans including Robert Downey Jr., negotiated to have a percentage of box-office receipts tacked on to her salary. This has become increasingly common with Marvel Cinematic Universe films because of their theatrical track record.

The Academy Award-nominated actress has starred as Natasha Romanoff in eight Marvel films, which have collectively grossed more than $10.5 billion in global box-office receipts in the last decade.

Only eight of Marvel’s 24 theatrical releases have grossed less than $700 million globally. And only three have secured less than $400 million. On average, these franchise films garner nearly $1 billion globally over the course of their theatrical runs.

So far, “Black Widow” has tallied $150 million during its first three weeks in theaters and a little more than $300 million globally. Its $80 million domestic opening weekend remains the highest opening figure of any film released after March 2020, when many Covid pandemic restrictions hit.

The streaming release of the film ate into box-office profits, though Disney reported “Black Widow” scored $60 million from sales on Disney+ during its opening weekend. The company has not shared additional information about the film’s digital performance. Entertainment experts have also blamed rampant piracy of the film for its steady drop in performance since the release.

While Disney’s decision to put “Black Widow” on Disney+ and in theaters on the same day and date was a strategic move based on pandemic pressures, it is projected to have cost Johansson more than $50 million, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

Johansson’s lawsuit claims the actress tried to renegotiate with Disney after she discovered the film would not be released exclusively in theaters, but the studio did not respond.

Representatives from Disney did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.