A new report has surfaced that reveals Matthew McConaughey, Scarlett Johansson, and more cast member’s earnings made from Sing 2’s hybrid theatrical and digital release. While Sing 2 began its theatrical run in December, the film was released on digital within weeks of its release and that means the talent had to be compensated for the release strategy.
According to a report published by Matthew Belloni on Puck, McConaughey, Johansson, and Reese Witherspoon were all given checks in the “mid-seven figure” range to buy out a chunk of their box office bonuses, while the rest of the main cast were given smaller payouts. The buyouts weren’t necessarily required because Universal’s deal with theater owners for the exclusive release window ensured that the film would only get an expedited PVOD release if it opened to less than $50 million. That proved to be the case here as Sing 2 opened to $22.3 million but the studio opted to play it safe and negotiate a new deal with the cast for the hybrid theatrical and digital release.
Sing 2 has still performed admirably despite being available for home viewing. The film has remained in the top five of the box office since opening in December and it has even seen slim weekend-to-weekend declines despite its availability on PVOD. To date, Sing 2 has grossed $134.3 million domestically and $267.9 million worldwide. That’s a solid figure for a family film that is available at home and dealing with the global pandemic.
Cast buyouts for these hybrid releases became the norm as movie theaters were shuttered due to COVID-19 and streaming became an even bigger player. As movie theaters gradually reopened, studios had to change their strategy a bit. Warner Bros. made the biggest move when they announced their plans to release their entire 2021 film slate in both theaters and on HBO Max. The move was met with a polarizing response from talent and various filmmakers for its potential harm to cinemas. The studios then had to negotiate new deals with both filmmakers and the stars of its films getting a hybrid release and most of these deals were done peacefully behind closed doors with no fuss.
The only real fuss involved, oddly enough, Scarlett Johansson. The actress became the center of a lawsuit against Disney for its hybrid release of Black Widow last summer. The situation got pretty ugly and it played out publicly for a few months before the two would ultimately resolve the dispute with a hefty settlement for Johansson. They also announced plans to work on future projects together. Everything worked out once the dust settled.
What are YOUR thoughts on earnings from the cast of Sing 2 for its hybrid release?