UPDATE (8/21/19, 1:27 a.m. ET): Sony Pictures has released a statement following a report that the film studio couldn’t agree on a financing deal with Disney, and therefore Spider-Man would reportedly be pulled from the Marvel Cinematic Universe: “Much of today’s news about Spider-Man has mischaracterized recent discussions about Kevin Feige’s [Marvel Studios’ president] 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. 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. 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.”
ORIGINAL STORY: For many fans, this is a fate even worse than Thanos collecting all the infinity stones. Tom Holland’s Spider-Man may no longer be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Sony Pictures and Disney reportedly couldn’t see eye-to-eye on a new deal that would’ve given Disney a “co-financing stake,” sources told our sister outlet Deadline. Disney reportedly refused to stick to the current arrangement in which Marvel receives “in the range of 5% of first dollar gross,” the sources claimed, who added that this alleged months-long dispute “essentially nixed [Kevin] Feige [the president of Marvel Studios] and the future involvement of Marvel from the Spider-Man universe.” Disney acquired Marvel Entertainment in 2009, and the Spider-Man franchise — which is owned by Sony Pictures — didn’t hop on board the MCU train until 2015. Tom made his debut as the web-slinging superhero in Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2017.
Despite this 180, there will reportedly be two more Spider-Man films with Tom returning as the leading man and Jon Watts as director, the sources added. It would only take something “dramatic” to happen for Kevin to return as creative producer, they claimed. This is a shocking move for many fans, considering that the Marvel Studios president produced the immensely successful Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home films, the latter of which became Sony Pictures’ all time highest grossing film. Fans took their devastation to Twitter, fearing that MCU characters may no longer make cameos in future Spider-Man films. “Sony please say sike…,” one fan tweeted, while another wrote, “I’m remembering how excited I was when I heard about the Marvel/Sony deal over Spider-Man. Now I want to cry.” However, this is just a report and no official announcement has been made — HollywoodLife has reached out to Sony Pictures and Disney, and the latter had no comment for our story.
Unlike past Spider-Man films, the last two movies were largely constructed on Peter’s involvement with the Avengers and Tony Stark. Tom’s Spider-Man helped his fellow MCU superheros battle Thanos, and Tony even served as Peter’s mentor. “I feel sorry for whoever is writing Spider-Man 3 and 4. They have to write with both hands tied behind their back since they have to ignore everything about Holland’s Spider-Man from the last five movies he was in,” MCU Cosmic editor-in-chief Jeremy Conrad tweeted, pointing this complex background. Outside of his two Spider-Man films, Tom starred in Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.
Sony after taking the rights of Spider-Man from the MCU disappointing millions of Spidey fans in the world: pic.twitter.com/CRuHFlznBT
— ! (@JayAye0h) August 20, 2019
sony trying to write another tom holland spider-man movie without mcu references pic.twitter.com/di9apGbfus
— josie⁷ (@PARAS7TE) August 20, 2019
Fans are now wondering what’s in store for future Spider-Man movies without a MCU-intertwined story. Most just didn’t want another reboot of Spider-Man’s origin story. “IF I GET ANOTHER FU**ING SPIDER-MAN ORIGIN STORY I FU**ING SWEAR TO GOD #spiderman,” a fan tweeted, while another wrote, “I CANT HANDLE ANOTHER SPIDER-MAN REBOOT THEY KEEP MAKING ME GET ATTACHED TO EVER VERSION OF PETER PARKER THEN RIPPING HIM AWAY FROM ME.” Spider-Man: Far From Home ended on a cliffhanger, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens next! HollywoodLife has also reached out to Tom Holland’s rep for comment.