Spider-Man has been reunited with the Marvel Cinematic Universe after a financial stalemate between Disney and Sony was untangled this week, ending a month-long threat that the character would have to go on without his superhero friends.
Sony caused alarm among fans of Spider-Man when it walked away from the proposal by Disney/Marvel in August that would co-finance the third installment of the current Spider-Man series of films. After Disney originally offered to finance the film at a 25% stake, the company upped its demand in August to 50/50, a hike that Sony could not accept, much to the disappointment of fans across the globe.
Sony, which owns the rights to Spider-Man, would have been able to go on with actor Tom Holland, but it would not have been able to mention the character’s past with other Marvel superheroes or acknowledge the history that had been established over five MCU films without Disney’s approval.
On Thursday night, however, it seems that Disney sided with the fans instead of the mighty dollar, as it reportedly signed an agreement to produce the third Spider-Man film, which is currently slotted for release in 2021, at the original offer of a 25% stake.
“I am thrilled that Spidey’s journey in the MCU will continue, and I and all of us at Marvel Studios are very excited that we get to keep working on it,” said MCU studio head Kevin Feige. “Spider-Man is a powerful icon and hero whose story crosses all ages and audiences around the globe. He also happens to be the only hero with the superpower to cross cinematic universes, so as Sony continues to develop their own Spidey-verse, you never know what surprises the future might hold.”
The five films in the MCU canon featuring Holland’s Spider-Man, including Homecoming, Far From Home, Captain America: Civil War, and Avengers: Endgame, have grossed over $8 billion and have been a boon to both mega studios. Avengers: Endgame is currently the highest-grossing movie of all time.
Both Sony Spider-Man productions have also broken records for the studio, becoming the highest-grossing films since Skyfall, the 2012 installment of the decades-long James Bond film series.
“It’s been a crazy week, but I want you to know I am grateful from the bottom of my heart, and I love you 3,000,” Holland, 23, said of the news on Friday.
Producer Amy Pascal, whose company worked on the first two films, also expressed relief at the news.
“This is terrific. Peter Parker’s story took a dramatic turn in Far From Home, and I could not be happier we will all be working together as we see where his journey goes,” she said. “This has been a winning partnership for the studios, the franchise, and the fans, and I’m overjoyed it will continue.”
