​​🎭 Why ScarJo is suing Disney+

PLUS: A hot, new “business of good” startup. August 2, 2021 [The Hustle] How’s this for hot gossip? A new book claims Elon Musk demanded to be CEO of Apple during Tesla acquisition talks, prompting a potty-mouthed response from Tim Cook. Both parties deny the conversation happened. Today’s rundown: - The Avengers… avenge: The big implications of Scarlet Johansson’s Disney lawsuit. - Business of good: Jay-Z and Will Smith invested in a startup that helps low-income renters become homeowners. - Digits: 45% of remote workers work from the couch, and other wild numbers from around the web. Let’s do it. The big idea [Scarlett Johansson and Mickey Mouse]( Why the ScarJo vs. Disney drama is just the beginning Scarlett Johansson [sued]( Disney last week, claiming that the company breached her contract by putting Marvel’s Black Widow on Disney+ [Premier Access](. For Disney, the trouble may just be getting started. It’s all about box office vs. streaming Talent is often paid, in part, based on box office revenue. Johansson’s complaint is that she was promised a theatrical release, and that the simultaneous streaming release could cost her up to $50m. Black Widow’s July 9 opening weekend [saw](: - $60m+ from digital sales - $80m in US theaters - $78m overseas But box office sales fell 67% in its 2nd weekend -- worse than any other Marvel flick. Disney fired back… … calling Johansson’s suit without merit and “distressing in its callous disregard” for the pandemic. (The same pandemic during which heiress Abigail Disney [slammed]( the company for [laying off]( thousands while still paying out exec bonuses.) Though the pandemic increased streaming releases, Johansson was already concerned about it in early 2019. Emails between her reps and Marvel’s counsel assured the star of a theatrical release or further discussion should that change. Disney isn’t the only company navigating streaming releases Due to the pandemic, Warner Bros. moved all of its 2021 films to simultaneous release on HBO Max. WarnerMedia faced blowback from talent and movie theater chain/memestock [AMC](, and also paid out $200m+ to renegotiate talent contracts. ScarJo’s lawsuit may be the 1st domino In our increasingly streaming world, an A-lister whose Marvel arc ended with Avengers: Endgame (Black Widow was a prequel) is well-poised to take on the issue. Cruella’s Emma Stone is already [rumored]( to be “weighing her options.” Meanwhile, Disney’s Jungle Cruise -- starring Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt -- debuted this weekend and was [expected]( to hit ~$30m in domestic box office sales. The Rock reportedly has [no plans]( to sue. No word on Blunt. [Share on Facebook]( [Share on Twitter]( [Send as email to a friend](mailto:?subject=The%20Hustle%20wrote%20something%20I%20think%20you%27ll%20like...%0A&body=Why+the+ScarJo+vs.+Disney+drama+is+just+the+beginning%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fthehustle.co%2F08022021-Scarlett-Johansson-Disney%3Futm_campaign%3DScarlett%2BJohansson%26utm_content%3D08022021-Scarlett-Johansson-Disney%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Ddaily%0A%0AYou%20can%20subscribe%20with%20my%20link%20here%20to%20get%20the%20latest%20in%20tech%20and%20business%20daily:%0A [View on our website]( SNIPPETS NEW! Introducing our new and improved [Snippets](. You can now get extra snippets on your favorite topics. Follow the button below to get started. (It takes less than 30 seconds!) Proud Peacock: NBCUniversal’s streaming service has [generated]( 54m sign-ups since launching in April 2020. Watch out, Snap: Facebook’s Ray-Ban smart glasses are [launching]( soon. Monkey business: [Inside]( NFT clubs and the Bored Ape avatars that are taking over Twitter. The Shark Tank is open: Mark Cuban’s budding audio app, Fireside, is reportedly [taking]( investments. Join the 80,579 others who are now enjoying extra, personalized snippets. Click the button👇 to choose your favorite topics and see your list grow in tomorrow’s email. [Personalize Your Snippets]( Startups, Real Estate [Jay-Z and Will Smith]( Landis is a startup you should know -- with some legendary investors Aspiring homebuyers have “99 Problems,” but Jay-Z and Will Smith are here to help. - The duo [joined]( a $165m raise for Landis, a “rent-to-own” startup focused on helping low-income buyers build wealth. In other words, they want to facilitate “The Pursuit of Happyness.” The firm's mission sets it apart from other rent-to-own ventures A rent-to-own agreement allows you to rent a property with an option to buy it within a certain time frame. Landis works like so: - The company targets houses between $110k-$400k, and requires prospective clients to apply to its program. - Once [accepted](, clients pick out their dream home and Landis makes sure the purchase goes through without a “Hitch.” - Clients can rent from Landis for 24 months, and purchase the home anytime they’re ready. Along the way, Landis provides access to coaching that helps them manage finances and improve their credit score -- allowing them to build “The Blueprint” to better savings. Landis primarily profits from the sale of the home By setting rent in line with carrying costs, they ensure rates are fair beyond a “Reasonable Doubt.” While the [current]( buying environment can feel like the “Wild Wild West,” Landis is making it easier to navigate while simultaneously working toward financial inclusion. If they succeed, it may go down as one of the greatest collabs in hip-hop history. [Share on Facebook]( [Share on Twitter]( [Send as email to a friend](mailto:?subject=The%20Hustle%20wrote%20something%20I%20think%20you%27ll%20like...%0A&body=Landis+is+a+startup+you+should+know+--+with+some+legendary+investors%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fthehustle.co%2F08022021-Landis%3Futm_campaign%3DScarlett%2BJohansson%26utm_content%3D08022021-Landis%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Ddaily%0A%0AYou%20can%20subscribe%20with%20my%20link%20here%20to%20get%20the%20latest%20in%20tech%20and%20business%20daily:%0A [View on our website]( Free Resource Name a more iconic duo than GooSpot The name needs work... but they’re a force all the same. This [30-page info kit]( includes a PDF guide, template, and checklist to provide you with essential wisdom for Google marketing success. Paid ads, search campaigns, organic lead generation, optimization -- it's all covered. “Stop giving me quality cheat sheets for free” Never. In case you somehow seek more proof that HubSpot is baking the freshest business content on the web, this is the Google-certified Google ads blueprint. Get up-to-date with the latest proven search campaign strategies. [GooSpot fan club →]( By the numbers Digits: RV records, mouse brains, and $406m card games 1) We’re on the road. Following a record-setting quarter in which [151k+]( RVs were shipped to dealers, there are now [11.2m North American households that own an RV](, +26% over the last decade. 2) Giving Google Maps a run for its money, scientists finished a 5-year project 3D-mapping the synaptic connections among a microscopic clump of [200k mouse brain cells](. 3) This is just magical. Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast division, which oversees gaming properties like “Magic: the Gathering,” [brought in $406m in Q2 revenue](, +118% YoY. 4) As per the Olympians and Paralympians Act of 2016, which ended a so-called “victory tax,” [US Olympians earning less than $1m a year]( can pocket their $37.5k gold, $22.5k silver, and $15k bronze medal prizes tax-free. 5) This was written from a couch, and we’re not the only ones. A new survey of Americans working remotely found [45% regularly work from their couch](, 38% from bed, and 20% from outside. 6) Well, that’s just nuts. [One out of every 153 employed Americans]( now work for Amazon, or ~950k people in the US. Walmart employs ~1.6m Americans, or 1 out of every 91. [Share on Facebook]( [Share on Twitter]( [Send as email to a friend](mailto:?subject=The%20Hustle%20wrote%20something%20I%20think%20you%27ll%20like...%0A&body=Digits%3A+RV+records%2C+mouse+brains%2C+and+%24406m+card+games%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fthehustle.co%2F08022021-digits%3Futm_campaign%3DScarlett%2BJohansson%26utm_content%3D08022021-digits%26utm_medium%3Demail%26utm_source%3Ddaily%0A%0AYou%20can%20subscribe%20with%20my%20link%20here%20to%20get%20the%20latest%20in%20tech%20and%20business%20daily:%0A [View on our website]( AROUND THE WEB 🎬 How to: Transitions can make your TikTok videos even better. The Verge [explains]( how to add them. 🍊 Haha: Some kids really don’t wanna go to school. A science professor [explores]( how conniving kids are using OJ and soda to fake positive COVID tests. 🎹 That’s cool: Adrian Alexander Mann [built]( an 18.9-foot-long piano just to hear what longer bass strings sound like. It’s beautiful -- but we wouldn’t want to move it. 🍰 Wait, what: A 2.3k-year-old “bog butter.” A century-old ham. A preserved wedding cake from 1898. [Here's where]( some of the world's oldest foods are on display. 😓 Hmm: How bad is a toxic workplace for your health? One study found it [triples]( employees’ risk of depression. 🍏 On this day: In 2018, Apple became the 1st US public company to reach a market cap of $1T. Two years later, it hit [$2T.]( Tweet of the day [contract negotiation meme] Nailed it. SHARE THE HUSTLE [Hustle Cons Greatest Hits ebook]( Over the years, we’ve learned… secrets. The business secrets, tips, and tricks that have helped founders go from zero to millions -- and even billions -- of dollars. Want to see ‘em? Just refer 3 more friends to The Hustle and we’ll send you our curated set of interviews with founders from brands like Zola, AWAY, Vungle, Bonobos, and more. Here’s a message you can use to share with your friends: Hey! Do you read The Hustle? 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