'Dune' director talks Disney lawsuit in support of Scarlett Johansson

In an interview with foreign media, "Dune" director Denis Villeneuve stated his position in the "Black Widow" lawsuit: supporting "Black Widow" Scarlett Johansson, the former Marvel actress.

On July 19, Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson filed a lawsuit against Disney, accusing it of violating the contract by releasing the movie "Black Widow" starring her in theaters and streaming media Disney+ at the same time. Disney had promised that the movie would be "released theatrically," which generally means an exclusive release in theaters. Scarlett's salary mainly comes from the box office dividends of the movie, and Disney's move is estimated to have cost her $50 million.

Recently, Disney wants to change the lawsuit to arbitration, hoping to avoid public hearing of the case and attract public attention. Scarlett Johansson accused Disney of "trying to cover up its misconduct" and said that this strategy discriminates against women.

As for the current situation, Villeneuve has made no secret of standing on the side of Black Widow. At the same time, he expressed the hope that a theatrical exclusively clause would be included in future film contracts. In addition, he believes that Disney's pessimistic view of big-screen movies is wrong. "The industry is on a roller coaster, which runs counter to Wall Street's desire for stability. Subscriptions to these platforms (such as Disney+, Netflix and other online streaming platforms - Editor's Note) provide studios with fixed income. I am not against platforms, on the contrary, they are extraordinary tools for us to understand movie memories. But the career of a film must first start on the big screen. From now on, I will also require my films to be released only in theaters in accordance with the contract."

Last year, due to the downturn in North American theaters caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Warner announced that 17 movies in 2021 would be released on the same day in theaters and streaming media. This move offended a group of Hollywood filmmakers and directors. Villeneuve published an editorial in a magazine criticizing Warner's decision. Christopher Nolan ("Tenet", "Interstellar") expressed great disappointment. There are signs that he is seeking to cooperate with another film company and sever his long-term partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures. Movie stars such as Denzel Washington, Will Smith, and Keanu Reeves also accused this move of affecting their box office.