UPDATE, 8/21/19: Following yesterday’s initial news, Sony and Marvel had ended their Spider-Man partnership, Variety reported negotiations were far from over. Since then, Sony has addressed the breakup publicly, and while the news isn’t what most fans wanted (or expected) to hear, there’s still reason to be optimistic a reconciliation could eventually happen.
According to Sony’s three part message on Twitter, reports about how much they want Marvel head honcho Kevin Feige involved with the next Spider-Man movie are wrong, primarily because the problem is they want him to be a big part of it.
Much of today’s news about Spider-Man has mischaracterized recent discussions about Kevin Feige’s involvement in the franchise. We are disappointed, but respect Disney’s decision not to have him continue as a lead producer of our next live action Spider-Man film. (1/3)
— Sony Pictures (@SonyPictures) August 21, 2019
We hope this might change in the future, but understand that the many new responsibilities that Disney has given him – including all their newly added Marvel properties – do not allow time for him to work on IP they do not own. (2/3)
— Sony Pictures (@SonyPictures) August 21, 2019
Kevin is terrific and we are grateful for his help and guidance and appreciate the path he has helped put us on, which we will continue. (3/3)
— Sony Pictures (@SonyPictures) August 21, 2019
There’s a whole lot going on here for such a brief statement.
First, Sony is putting the blame for this breakup at Disney’s castle gate, because they claim Disney won’t allow Kevin Feige to produce the next Spider-Man movie since he’s so busy following the company’s acquisition of Fox. It’s not surprising Sony would insist on Feige continuing to take on such an important role in the franchise, since everything he touches turns to both box office and critical gold.
However, this statement does not address any of the reports of Disney wanting a bigger piece of the financial pie to continue working with Sony. If Sony insists on Feige being prominently involved in the making of the movie, and Disney wants more money overall, using him as leverage could be their best bargaining chip.
This simply sounds like a negotiation that still has plenty of time to resolve, except one side decided making this whole ordeal public will benefit them. We’re guessing it was Sony, based on who looks “worse” so far. Public pressure seems to be pointed to Disney since they already own everything and can’t exactly cry poor. Plus Sony has said, “We want their guy in charge!” and that doesn’t seem unreasonable.
What’s most important is this statement neither confirms nor denies the dual-Spidey production, the one that has worked so well for both sides, is definitely done for good. There isn’t even a filming date for Spider-Man 3: No Home in the MCU, and all it takes is one phone call to get the band back together.
One call and probably a big check.
8/20/2019 – You would hope a film franchise starring a beloved character that just made over a billion dollars with its latest film would offer enough money to go around for everyone involved, but that was clearly too much for fans of Spider-Man to ask for.
Deadline reports that Marvel and Sony have parted ways when it comes to Peter Parker after Disney asked for a larger stake as a co-financier. Sony apparently wanted to keep the previous arrangement – which has allowed Tom Holland’s webbed-slinger to be an integral part of the MCU – and Disney walked away from the old deal. As a result, both Marvel and its head honcho Kevin Feige, the man who can do no wrong these days, will no longer work as an executive producer for any future live-action Spider-Man movies, of which Sony has at least two more planned with both Holland and director Jon Watts.
According to Deadline, Disney wanted a “50/50 co-financing arrangement,” and they two studios even discussed the possibility of this extending to other Sony-owned Spider-Man characters. That not only went nowhere, it was the end of everything.
“Sony turned that offer down flat, and I don’t believe they even came back to the table to figure out a compromise. Led by Tom Rothman and Tony Vinciquerra, Sony just simply didn’t want to share its biggest franchise. Sony proposed keeping the arrangement going under the current terms where Marvel receives in the range of 5% of first dollar gross, sources said. Disney refused.”
While it sounds like Tom Holland isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, it’s unclear what this means for the future of the MCU at this time. “Nick Fury” was a major figure in Far From Home, which promised an even bigger role for Peter Parker in the future of the franchise. Unless things change, that will now be both Spider-Man and Tom Holland’s swan song instead.
At least it was a hell of a way to go out, though the fact the two studios were able t pull off that ending together makes this even dumber and pettier the more we think about it. Maybe if it made two billion they could have worked something out.
To describe this breakup as disappointing would be a Hulk-sized understatement. Not only has Spider-Man been an integral part of the MCU since his introduction in Captain America: Civil War, he played a major role in Avengers: Infinity War, and continued to be the source of some of the MCU’s most emotional moments in Endgame. And the two end credits scenes from Far From Home, one that seemed to possibly open up the Marvel multiverse and the other the possible introduction of S.W.O.R.D., might have been the single most exciting movie in the entire MCU.
To think that’s all over now, and we won’t see Tom Holland team up with Happy or any of the Avengers ever again, almost seems unfathomable.
Featured Image: Sony/Marvel
