Believing she was cheated out of millions over decision of simultaneous release at cinemas and on streaming platform, the 'Black Widow' actress filed suit against the movie studio chiefs in July.
- Sep 9, 2021
AceShowbiz - Benedict Cumberbatch is saddened by "The Avengers" co-star Scarlett Johansson's contract tiff with Disney/Marvel executives, confessing the whole thing is "a bit of a mess."
Johansson filed suit against Disney chiefs at the end of July, claiming she was cheated out of millions over their decision to release blockbuster "Black Widow" at cinemas and on streaming platform HBO Max simultaneously, and the movie studio bosses responded by calling the lawsuit "sad and distressing in its callous disregard for the horrific and prolonged global effects of the COVID-19 pandemic."
They claimed they had to release the film to big and small screens on the same day due to concerns film fans would not head to cinemas to see it due to COVID-related health and safety fears.
The studio heads insisted on settling the quarrel quietly through confidential arbitration, while the actress' lawyer demanded action, calling the defendants' response to his client's lawsuit "a misogynistic attack."
Now, "Doctor Strange" star Cumberbatch has weighed in on the drama telling The Hollywood Reporter, "It's sad what's going on between the lawyers. Just the verbiage and the accusations... The whole thing's just a bit of a mess."
"We're trying to understand what the revenue streams should be for artists that contribute to the billion-dollar business that is Disney. And it has to be contractualized. It's a new paradigm... A very complex one."
"No one saw this coming... That was the first of these films that was going to get a cinematic release during the pandemic and got stalled and stalled and stalled. It's very new territory."
Cumberbatch stopped short of fully supporting Scarlett in her bid to add to her Disney millions, but another "Avengers" favorite, Elizabeth Olsen, is cheering on the actress.
In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, she said, "I think she's so tough and literally when I read that I was like, 'Good for you Scarlett.' "
