According to recent reports from the Hollywood Reporter, Scarlett Johansson will be earning $15 million for her role as Black Widow in an upcoming Marvel superhero movie. This places her pay on par with that of her male colleagues Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth, who have earned the same amount for their standalone movies and Avengers: Infinity War.
According to The Reporter, Johansson’s debut movie as a solo Marvel character earned her a lot more money compared to her male counterparts. For instance, Robert Downey Jr. only received $500,000 for his first appearance as Iron Man a decade ago while Chadwick Boseman was paid $2 million for his debut as Black Panther earlier this year. Despite this, Johansson’s debut was still more profitable considering she has already played the role in six other movies before this one.
According to a Marvel representative who spoke to the Reporter, the accuracy of the reported numbers is being disputed, and it is not Marvel’s policy to disclose salary or deal terms publicly. Scarlett Johansson’s substantial salary was seen as a significant victory for women in Hollywood, who have been speaking out against gender inequality in the entertainment industry following the “Me Too” movement prompted by the disturbing revelations about Harvey Weinstein and other serial harassers.