The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has shaken the world. The entertainment industry has suffered more than most other industries. Hollywood has been scrambling to try and make the best out of the situation. Some movie theaters have been forced to close their doors for good. However, some of the major studios have leveraged their streaming platforms to release their movies day-and-date digitally and in theaters. As a result, actors including Scarlett Johansson and Elizabeth Olsen have spoken out.
Scarlett Johansson’s ‘Black Widow’ lawsuit shakes up Hollywood
‘Black Widow’ was delayed three times before making its way to theaters. However, Disney+ with Premier Access allowed audiences to watch it from home for the price of $30. Johansson alleges that Disney used the movie as a tool to promote its streaming service. This impacted the movie’s performance at the box office. As a result, she lost out on a large portion of back-end profits. Emma Stone considered following in Johansson’s footsteps for Cruella.
Johansson isn’t the only big Hollywood name to speak out against the streaming service trend. Denis Villeneuve also spoke out regarding Dune getting a day-and-date release on HBO Max. However, Warner Bros. re-negotiated some of their contracts with their talent in advance.
Movie theaters have tried to stay open by following mask mandates, depending on their location. They have also limited the seating capacity to provide social distancing. However, many folks still don’t quite feel comfortable enough to return to the movie theater.
Elizabeth Olsen backs Scarlett Johansson on the lawsuit
Olsen talked about the COVID-19 impact on the movie industry in an interview with Vanity Fair. She expressed her support for Johansson’s lawsuit. Olsen said, “I think she’s so tough and literally when I read that I was like, ‘good for you Scarlett.’”
However, she’s more concerned with the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic will have on independent cinema. She continued that: “I’m worried about a bunch of things. Not worried on Scarlett’s behalf. But I’m worried about small movies getting the opportunity to be seen in theaters. That was already a thing pre-COVID.”
Olsen pointed out that she enjoys seeing independent films, which could be in danger. She compared the streaming services to the vertical integration that the Hollywood studios used to have. Olsen said, “I do think it’s going to be how it kind of used to be when studios owned theaters.”
Hollywood hasn’t been silent on the ‘Black Widow’ lawsuit
Disney has published statements attacking Johansson’s lawsuit and her character. Her representatives have spoken out in response to what they call “misogynistic attacks.” Even if Johansson doesn’t win the lawsuit, it has set a precedent against one of the biggest companies in the world.
Some Hollywood insiders have noted their surprise that Disney wouldn’t re-negotiate their contract with her behind closed doors. Even if Disney comes out on top, this isn’t the form of publicity that Disney wants right now. Unsurprisingly, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is releasing exclusively in theaters. The boss at Disney has referred to the upcoming title as an “experiment,” which has generated controversy of its own.
The results of the lawsuit will have an impact on how Disney will conduct business in the future. The remainder of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s release slate has the potential to change its distribution plan. The lawsuit and the performance of Shang-Chi will likely have a large effect on how distribution plans will work. The delta variant of the COVID-19 pandemic has made the situation increasingly unpredictable.
Source: Read Full Article