Dune Director Denis Villeneuve Supports Scarlett Johansson’s Decision to Sue Disney Over Black Widow Release

Dune director Denis Villeneuve said that he supports Scarlett Johansson’s decision to sue Disney over the Black Widow release. In an interview with La Presse, the filmmaker explained that the entire film industry is in uncharted territory right now. Streaming releases alongside theatrical debuts has complicated matters even further. Villeneuve has been adamant about people seeing Dune in theaters because he believes the movie should be experienced on the big screen first. This has led to some outcry amongst moviegoers who state that this flies in the face of health realities for millions of people around the world. Johansson and the director are both pointing towards the power balance in these contracts though. It’s a conversation worth having as the companies are allowed to edit some agreements here and there on the fly. Talent and crews are beholden to a new environment that wasn’t agreed upon beforehand.

“What if the reverse happens and we don’t live up to the contracts we signed on our side?” Villeneuve asked. “In addition, it is wrong to believe that cinema on the big screen is not doing well. But this industry is on a roller coaster ride, which is at odds with Wall Street’s desire for stability. And these platform subscriptions provide studios with fixed income. I have nothing against platforms, quite the contrary. They are an extraordinary tool to give us access to the memory of cinema. But a film’s career must begin with the big screen first. From now on, I will also contractually require my films to be released in theaters first. “

At any rate, the film will premiere in theaters and viewers will decide their tolerance for going out to see it when it premieres. Warner Bros. dropped a wild description for Dune down below:

“A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.”

Do you agree with the director? How do you feel about the Black Widow lawsuit? Let us know down in the comments!