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Three years before announcing their grand return to MCU, The Russo brothers had cold feet about directing another Marvel movie following Scarlett Johansson’s lawsuit against Disney in 2021. The Russo brothers, who previously directed Scarlett Johansson in all their four MCU films –Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame – were reportedly turned off about how Disney had treated the actress.
In 2021, at the height of the pandemic, Walt Disney made the controversial decision to simultaneously release Marvel’s film Black Widow on an OTT platform and in theaters. Since Johansson’s potential profits hinged on the film’s theatrical release, as she was entitled to a percentage point of the box-office, she sued Disney, accusing it of breaching her contract.
Shortly after, The Wall Street Journal reported that Disney’s treatment of Johansson put off the Russo Brothers. The publication reported that the Russo brothers were concerned about how their pay could be affected if any future films were released straight to streaming. After Johansson’s film went straight to streaming, the Russo Brothers’ discussion about directing future projects reportedly hit an impasse.
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