Scarlett Johansson’s lawsuit against Disney over its Black Widow release strategy has brought yet more fallout.
On Thursday, a Disney statement declared that Johansson was paid $20m (£14.3m) for her latest appearance in the MCU.
Now, her representatives, Creative Arts Agency (CAA), have hit back at the studio, accusing them of “weaponising” Johansson’s success with the studio.
Bryan Lourd, co-director at CAA, went on to state: “Disney’s direct attack on her character and all else they implied is beneath the company that many of us in the creative community have worked with successfully for decades.”
He then went on to personally defend the actor: “They have shamelessly and falsely accused Ms Johansson of being insensitive to the global COVID pandemic, in an attempt to make her appear to be someone they and I know she isn’t.”
Lourd is considered one of the most powerful people in the entertainment industry.
Johansson has filed a lawsuit against Disney over their decision to release Black Widow simultaneously in cinemas and on the Disney Plus streaming service.
She argues that she was guaranteed an exclusive cinema release in her contract and that as a result of the strategy she has lost money legally owed to her.
The suit says: “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.”
Disney then hit back: “The lawsuit is especially sad and distressing in its callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged global effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
They also said her lawsuit was “without merit”.
