Benedict Cumberbatch. Slaven Vlasic/Getty
Johansson began legal proceedings against Disney in January over the release "Black Widow".
Cumberbatch stated, "It's sad to see what's happening between the lawyers."
Johnasson and Cumberbatch both appear in Marvel's "Avengers", which are owned Disney.
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Benedict Cumberbatch is the latest MCU star who has entered the discussion surrounding Scarlett Johansson’s Disney lawsuit.
Cumberbatch stated that "it's sad what is going on between the lawyers," during a profile interview with The Hollywood Reporter. "Just the language and the accusations of, "Put it into a global pandemic context." It's all a bit chaotic.
Cumberbatch, who appeared alongside Johansson in several iterations, said: "We're trying figure out what the revenue streams for artists that contribute to this billion-dollar business that Disney is." It must be contractualized. How does the normal compensation for an artist work with box office bonuses? This is a new paradigm and it's very complicated."
Johansson sued Disney in January claiming that Disney violated her contract by releasing "Black Widow", a superhero movie, simultaneously on Disney+ and in theaters. Insider obtained a copy of the lawsuit. It claims that Johansson was entitled to a movie theater release under her "Black Widow" contract. Her salary is largely dependent on the film's box-office performance.
According to the suit, Johansson's representatives were given assurances by Marvel in May 2019, that Black Widow would continue to have a traditional theatrical release. This was after Johansson became concerned about Disney's plans for simultaneous theatrical and streaming releases. According to a source, The Wall Street Journal reported that the change in release strategy could have cost the actor $50 million.
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Benedict Cumberbatch in "Avengers: Endgame." Disney/Marvel
Cumberbatch spoke about the historical nature of the lawsuit. It was the first film that was to be released in cinematic form during the pandemic. However, it was stalled. It's a new territory.
Disney issued a statement responding to Johansson’s lawsuit in which they revealed that the actress had earned $20 million so far for the film.
A Disney spokesperson stated that the filing has no merit. "The lawsuit is particularly saddening because it ignores the terrible and long-lasting global effects of COVID-19.
Additionally, the company claimed that "Black Widow"'s release on Disney+ and paying Premier Access "significantly increased her ability to receive additional compensation."
Multiple Hollywood women's advocacy organizations criticized Disney's statement, claiming it was a "gendered assault" on Johansson.
"While we do not take a position on the business issues in litigation between Scarlett Johansson, The Walt Disney Company," a joint statement from Time's Up and Women In Film read, "We stand firmly against Disney’s recent statement that attempts to portray Johansson insensitive or selfish for protecting her contractual business rights."
Insider has the original article.
