Last week, news broke that Marvel Cinematic Universe star Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow) is suing The Walt Disney Company for $50 million due to an alleged breach of contract in regard to the release of her standalone MCU film, Black Widow (2021).
Per the suit, Johansson had a clause added to her contract in 2019 — the year Disney’s streaming platform, Disney+, debuted — that Black Widow must be an exclusive theatrical release. This was due to the fact that much of her salary was based on box office sales at movie theaters.
Some Disney fans on social media, however, feel that Disney is being hypocritical in calling out the MCU star, given how the company’s theme parks are operating, particularly as the COVID-19 delta variant continues to spread.
Dana Alyss responded to an article about Johansson’s lawsuit by writing:
Meanwhile at Disneyland & Disney World:
$150 tickets, no capacity limits, Halloween Party on sale & no masks required putting workers & guests at risk…
Per Disney’s own response… What a callous disregard for the horrific & prolonged global effects of the covid-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile at Disneyland & Disney World:
$150 tickets, no capacity limits, Halloween Party on sale & no masks required putting workers & guests at risk…
Per Disney’s own response… What a callous disregard for the horrific & prolonged global effects of the covid-19 pandemic. https://t.co/8xuYKLIMvz
At this time, Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort are currently open, though the exact capacity at which these Parks are operating remains unknown. Recently, per a recommendation from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Disneyland and Disney World have reinstated indoor face mask mandates for all Guests ages 2 and up, when they were previously optional for all Guests and encouraged (but not mandated) for unvaccinated Guests. Masks are not required outdoors for anyone.
Another Twitter user named Richard also called out The Walt Disney Company in a post, stating in part:
@DisneyStudios really thought they could play the “covid sympathy” card with @Scarlett_Jo to make her look insensitive about getting paid fairly. But Walt Disney World only closed for 3 months during covid.
Credit: Disney
To clarify, Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort — among the other Disney Parks and Resorts all around the world — temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2021. After getting the free Disney World reopened its theme parks four months later in July 2021.
Disney using Covid as an excuse to not pay Scarlett Johansson what they were contractually obligated to pay her when they caused a major spike in covid cases reopening Disney World early during a pandemic sounds kinda outta pocket to me…
Disney using Covid as an excuse to not pay Scarlett Johansson what they were contractually obligated to pay her when they caused a major spike in covid cases reopening Disney World early during a pandemic sounds kinda outta pocket to me…
At this time, Disney has not further responded to the Johansson lawsuit, nor have they acknowledged the fan sentiment that the company is being hypocritical by continuing relatively normal Park operations amid the pandemic — many COVID-19 protocols, including social distancing measures and plexiglass dividers on rides have been removed at this time.
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Credit: Marvel Studios/Disney
