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How the Disney-ScarJo Settlement Went Down

Disney leadership was clearly rattled by the personal allegations in the lawsuit, which made Disney the villain—and highly incentivized to make the headlines go away.

Scarlett Johansson
Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images
Matthew Belloni
October 4, 2021

If you had 73 Days in your office’s Scarlett Johansson settlement pool, congrats and collect your prize. Many gasped when Disney and the actress jointly announced a deal on Thursday to resolve her $80 million litigation over Black Widow debuting on Disney+ concurrent with theaters, but few in the entertainment law community seriously thought this would last long. Johansson’s CAA agents were seeking a deal before the lawsuit. And after a short break following the filing drama, they quickly resumed talking with Disney. Litigation as negotiation.