8 Comments

Why are you taking the studios position? Why are you saying that SJ shouldn't get paid?

Clearly, Disney made a pile of money on the streaming. The contract was for her to get a cut on the "initial" release, and she's not. Maybe the "letter of the law" is that she didn't specify that it could be released on streaming from the get go, but the expectation (as stated by the Disney lawyer) was that it wouldn't be straight to video.

Your position that SJ should just take her money and go away and allow Disney to pocket a whole pile of money that they should have been paying her is ridiculous.

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Aug 3, 2021Liked by Sonny Bunch

This 'normal' Marvel fan is very much on Johansson's side. I believe I have a lot of company. I think Disney comes off looking way worse than she does. I'd wager the weight of public opinion will end up coming down on her side.

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Aug 3, 2021Liked by Sonny Bunch

I haven't seen The Green Knight yet, but I look forward to it because I love the source material. From the trailer it reminded me a bit of a Darren Aronofsky movie in a good way.

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founding

This ScarJo v Disney situation is fascinating. I think that the Marvel characters are bigger than the actors that play them...until the actors play them. Phase 1 casting changes aside, I think there would have been some huge backlash if anybody was replaced. So, the actors still matter quite a bit. I mean, just look at the James Gunn situation a few years back. I don't think Guardians Volume 3 would be the same without him. At the same time, without Scott Derrickson Doctor Strange 2 would be just fine. Mostly, because they traded up with Sam Raimi, so to speak.

I do think as it pertains to this situation that the actors and creatives have more good will with the public than the faceless corporate executives. I think people like Kevin Feige knows this and why he reportedly hated that this all spilled out in the public.

So star power doesn't open movies anymore, but they are a big part why the characters matter so much. That's my two cents.

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