The Russo Brothers could be planning a Disney exit following the turmoil caused by the release of 'Black Widow'. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the famed directors are weighing up their options as the legal battle between Scarlett Johansson and Disney continues.

Earlier this summer, the 'Black Widow' star filed a lawsuit against the production company over the dual release of her solo blockbuster outing both in theatres and on Disney+. According to the actor, she was guaranteed a dedicated theatrical release as part of her contract, which Disney then broke. Johansson, who has appeared in 10 Marvel movies in total, earned $20 million for what is expected to be her final role as Natasha Romanoff. However, she was also due to make royalties from the film's box office performance, but because so many fans watched the blockbuster from home, she is believed to have been shortchanged an estimated $50 million.

Disney and Johansson have apparently cut ties since the lawsuit began. Now it appears that the Russo Brothers' time at Disney has also been cast into doubt. The directors of four of the biggest entries in the MCU thus far, including one of the highest-grossing movies of all time, 'Avengers: Endgame', have placed a question mark over their return to the universe.

The Wall Street Journal reports: "Since the lawsuit, brothers Joe Russo and Anthony Russo hit an impasse in negotiations to direct another Marvel movie. The Johansson dispute left them unsure how their next movie would be distributed and how they would be paid, according to people familiar with the matter."

If the report is true, this could have huge knock-on effects on the entire MCU as we know it. If one of the franchise's biggest stars, and now two of their most popular directors are jumping ship, it's not long until others begin to follow suit.

The Russo Brothers' next Marvel and Disney project had not yet been announced, but it's believed the directors were developing a 'Secret Wars' storyline that would be the biggest crossover event in the franchise's history, including the appearance of the X-Men and Fantastic Four, who are yet to make their MCU debuts.