Marvelous Disney Podcast: 'What If?' Premiere & Scarlett Johansson's Lawsuit Against Disney

"What If?" Series Premiere

• 🚀 The first episode of Marvel Studios' animated series "What If?" is praised for its animation, described as the best Marvel has ever done.
• 💡 The series uses the cinematic universe as a primer to tell alternate stories, with the first episode retelling the Captain America story from a different perspective in 30 minutes.
• ✨ The animation style, a blend of 2D and 3D, is noted for its unique look, reminiscent of "The Twilight Zone" and "The Outer Limits."
• 🗣️ Jeffrey Wright is commended for his voice work as The Watcher, bringing a knowledgeable and patient tone.
• 🎭 Several actors returned to voice their characters, including Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter and Dominic Cooper as Young Howard Stark, though Chris Evans did not voice Captain America.

Spider-Man: No Way Home Trailer Delays

• 🤫 The trailer for "Spider-Man: No Way Home" is significantly delayed due to the secrecy surrounding the film's plot and potential spoilers.
• 🎬 Sony is struggling to create a trailer that reveals enough to generate excitement without giving away major plot points.
• ❓ The possibility of a simple, symbolic poster like the 1989 Batman movie is suggested as an alternative marketing strategy.

Scarlett Johansson's Lawsuit Against Disney

• ⚖️ Scarlett Johansson filed a lawsuit against Disney, alleging breach of contract regarding the simultaneous release of "Black Widow" in theaters and on Disney Plus premium access.
• 💰 Her contract reportedly guaranteed an exclusive theatrical release, with a significant portion of her salary tied to the film's box office performance.
• 💔 Disney's response was strong, calling the lawsuit baseless and highlighting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, while also stating the Disney Plus release enhanced her compensation.
• 🤝 This situation is contrasted with Warner Bros.' handling of similar pandemic-era releases, where filmmakers and talent with backend deals were compensated to avoid disputes.
• 📉 Bob Chapek, CEO of Disney, is seen as having picked this lawsuit as a battleground to assert his leadership, potentially damaging future relationships with talent like Johansson, Emma Stone, and Emily Blunt.

Impact on Future Productions

• 😬 The lawsuit and Disney's response could jeopardize future projects involving Johansson, Stone, and Blunt, potentially causing them to withdraw from upcoming films.
• 📉 The success of "Black Widow" at the box office is crucial, especially with "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" also facing potential challenges due to the Delta variant and its theatrical-only release strategy.
• ❓ There's speculation about whether "Shang-Chi" will eventually move to Disney Plus, mirroring other releases, despite its initial theatrical-only marketing.