Following the announcement that Scarlett Johansson had filed a lawsuit against the House of Mouse alleging that the company had violated her Black Widow contract by releasing the Marvel film on Disney Plus, which resulted in the actress losing an estimated loss of $50 Million USD from her final paycheck, a new rumor suggests that Cruella star Emma Stone may pursue legal action against Disney on similar grounds.
Like Black Widow, Cruella was originally set to be released exclusively in theaters, but also like Black Widow, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the film being pushed from an exclusive theatrical release schedule to one which would result in the film being simultaneously released on Disney Plus.
As such, according to former THR Editor Matt Belloni, whose invite-only newsletter was reported on by ScreenRant, “Emma Stone, star of Cruella, is said to be weighing her options” regarding a lawsuit against Disney.
Belloni also speculated that Emily Blunt, whose upcoming Disney film Jungle Cruise will similarly be released on Disney Plus as a result of the ongoing pandemic, could also speak out against Disney after the film opens this weekend.
He further added that Disney has been “notoriously difficult to deal with” in working with actors to discuss their contracts after their films receive a Disney Plus release, a claim which echoes Johansson’s own accusation that Marvel and Disney were “unresponsive” to her own attempts to renegotiate her Black Widow contract.
The Hollywood tipster also noted that Johansson has received an outpouring of support from her fellow creatives, which Belloni suggests will prevent this issue from being swept under the rug.
What do you make of the rumor that Stone may be the next Disney actor to file a lawsuit against the studio for breach of contract? Let us know your thoughts on social media or in the comments down below!