Scarlett Johansson and Disney make up, reach settlement over Black Widow lawsuit

The lawsuit between Disney and Scarlett Johansson has come to an end. As revealed by the Hollywood Reporter, the parties have now reached an undisclosed settlement.

You may recall that shortly after Black Widow released this past July, Johansson filed a lawsuit against Disney for breaching her contract that guaranteed the character's solo Marvel movie would come exclusively to theaters. After a multitude of delays through 2020 and also 2021, the movie finally came to theaters as well as Disney+, eventually grossing $379 million globally.

In their own separate press statements (via THR), Johansson and Disney Studios chairman Alan Bergman expressed their gratitude for the settlement’s conclusion. "I'm happy to have resolved our differences with Disney," said Johansson, who has played the MCU character since 2010's Iron Man 2. "I’m incredibly proud of the work we’ve done together over the years and have greatly enjoyed my creative relationship with the team. I look forward to continuing our collaboration in years to come.”

Bergman's statement praised the actor for her contributions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “I’m very pleased that we have been able to come to a mutual agreement with Scarlett Johansson regarding Black Widow," he said. "We appreciate her contributions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and look forward to working together on a number of upcoming projects, including Disney’s Tower of Terror."

The latter movie was announced as in development shortly before Widow's released. As for the other "upcoming projects," those will likely be announced at a later date, though it remains to be seen what the partnership between the two parties will look like following the settlement.

When it was first revealed, the lawsuit had implications for the rest of Hollywood in this uncertain pandemic, day-and-date landscape. Several actors — including fellow Marvel actor Elizabeth Olsen — came out in support of Johansson. And it seemed like other actors would follow Johansson's lead, as Emma Stone was reportedly considering legal actions over the simultaneous day-and-date release of Cruella; and Emily Blunt and John Krasinski were also reportedly looking at similar options against Paramount over A Quiet Place Part II. (Stone later worked things out and signed on for a sequel, while Blunt and Krasinski are TBD.) 

Black Widow is available now on Disney+ Premier Access, and will go free on the platform beginning Oct. 6.