Disney Lawyer Calls Out ‘Black Widow’ Lawsuit as a ‘Orchestrated PR Campaign’
The news hit earlier this summer that Scarlett Johansson had opted for litigation against her former employer over her perceived alterations in the compensation agreement for their most recent Marvel collaboration; Daniel Petrocelli, who is acting as the Disney Lawyer calls out the Black Widow Lawsuit as a, “Orchestrated PR Campaign.”
The ten-year working relationship between veteran actress, Scarlett Johannson- who has played the character of Natasha Romanoff since her 2010 MCU debut- has been enthralled with a legal battle that has heated both sides seeking what they each perceive as fair treatment.
The lawsuit began as Johansson’s attempt to earn what she feels like were unfair alterations to the agreement of their contract; a contract that would compensate the actress in accordance with the film’s Box Office production.
The issue behind the contract as stated was Disney’s persistence to limit the film’s exclusive theatrical release; in favor of cashing in on the Disney+ Premiere Access model, which requires a $30 fee for fans to get the film at home.
Image: Marvel
The uncharted territory of the ever-changing theatrical release model has brought these two sites to Los Angeles Superior Court as they seek a resolution to Johansson’s pleading for fair compensation regarding Disney’s altering release methods.
A longtime attorney for the Walt Disney Company, Daniel Petrocelli, spoke with Variety about Johansson’s demands, and the lawsuit in its entirety.
It is obvious that this is a highly orcehstrated PR campaign to acheive an outcome that is not obtainable in the lawsuit. No amount of public pressure can change or obscure the explicit contracutal comittments. The written contract is clear as a bell.
Photo Credit: IMAX.com
With news the Disney Lawyer calls out Black Widow Lawsuit as a PR move, the controversial statement appears to question Johansson’s intentions; speaking as if the actress is coming from a place of dishonesty in regard to the actual contents of the contract, and the agreements of the films release.
The dispute has gone far beyond the Disney sphere, as SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris spoke on the dispute and the necessity of Johansson’s lawsuit in light of the shifting distribution model that has occurred in modern filmmaking.
Carteris stated the following,
Scarlett Johansson is shinign a white-hot spotlight on the imporoper sihfts in comepnsation that comapnies are attempting to slip by talent as distribution models change. Nobody in any field of work shoudl fall victim to suprise reductions in expected compensation. It is unreasonable and unjust. Disney and the other conetnt companies are doing very well andc an certainlly live up to their obvligations to compensate the performers whose art and artistry are repsonible for the corporations profits.
The lawsuit remains an ever-evolving situation; with other talents potentially considering litigation against the Walt Disney Company for a similar reason it seems as though Johansson may be speaking out against legitimate wrongdoing by the company.
Source: Complex.com
One can only hope that Walt Disney Studios, and the people at Marvel, are able to resolve the situation, and establish a new normal moving forward; one that leaves the studio, and the talent, equally satisfied and appropriately compensated.
