in the first place this year , a grouping of people working with the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America and other authorship lodge formed the “ Disney Must Pay Task Force . ” This was the termination ofa public disagreementbetween the studio apartment and Star Wars and Alien draw - in novelist Alan Dean Foster over Disney holding back on royal house payments . Their modish thrust is n’t to attend another writer — but to call out Disney ’s ongoing sound rough-and-tumble with Marvel ’s Black Widow star Scarlett Johansson .
Over the summer it emerge that Johansson was taking the Walt Disney Company to court , alleging that its photographic film studio breached her contract for the solo Black Widow film . This issue forth after multiple delays from its original 2020 departure window and the superhero rubric premiere at the same time in theaters and as part of Disney+ ’s Premier Access Robert William Service . Aftermultiple public back - and - forthsin which Disney accuse the actress of “ unfeelingly ” leverage the covid-19 pandemic againstthe miserable little megacorporation , the House of Mouse is now take care atprivate arbitrament instead of a test . The very public battle trigger a flurry of discussion about blockbuster worker contract bridge in the historic period of pour debuts .
Disney ’s attempts to move the argument away from the public eye , while unsurprising , have n’t stopped organizations and public figures from put their backup behind Johansson ’s case . Last night , the Disney Must Pay Task Force — the SFWA ’s initiative for look for proper royalty payments for writers of commissioned material across funnies and books like Alien , Star Wars , and Buffy the Vampire Slayer prior to Disney ’s acquisition of those license — released a statement corroborate the actress . “ The # DisneyMustPay Joint Task Force calls on Disney to respect Scarlett Johansson ’s professional and artistic work on the flick Black Widow , ” the statement allow for to closet begins . “ The first way to value Ms. Johansson is to pay her in good order and not use unethical contractual play to avoid payment . This is not the first meter the Task Force has seen Disney seek such whirl of contractual language . ”

More voices are lending their support to Johansson’s lawsuit.Screenshot: Marvel Studios
The chemical group has already made important gains in seeking right discussion for writers : Foster reveal he had settle his situation with Disney to begin with this yr . The caller had previously refused to pay up him royalties for Star Wars and Alien picture show tie - in novelization ( as well as the first Star Wars expand universe novel , Splinter of the Mind ’s Eye ) written before the giant acquired both Lucasfilm and Fox , despite the fact the company has since re - release some of that workplace under newfangled branding . In May , Boom Studios — which derive the licence to create Buffy the Vampire Slayer comics from Disney in 2019 , after its acquisition of Fox terminated a anterior deal with Dark Horse — lent its support to the SFWA , announcing it would help affected writer liaise with Disney to seek the royal family they were owe .
The labor force ’s latest affirmation serves as a reminder that it ’s not just author that Disney ’s declaration may have curtly - shrifted , and that this is a fight in which worker , regardless of their relationship with the company , should stand together . “ The # DisneyMustPay Task Force is working to ascertain that contract bridge are honour for all creators . This admit writer , role player , illustrators , and other artists , ” the statement concludes . “ Disney has a pattern of behavior that forces Almighty to jump through unneeded and tedious hoops to meet their harmonize - upon payments . They continue finding new ways to avoid paying people for their creativity and honoring their contracts . Disney must pay all Jehovah for their employment , and the # DisneyMustPay Joint Task Force is head the way to make indisputable that happens . ”
As a admonisher , the Walt Disney Company’slast figure net worthwas $ 122.18 ( that ’s 122,100,000,000 ) billion .
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