In a shocking announcement, Marvel Studios is set to part ways with Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man franchise, BuzzFeed News has confirmed.
A statement sent to CNET confirms the issue focuses on Marvel super-producer Kevin Feige’s involvement in upcoming Spider-Man movies.
According to reports, there is a high-level dispute between the two companies means Marvel Studios President Feige won’t produce any more Spider-Man films, and that Marvel will no longer be involved in the Spidey movie universe.
Deadline first reported the news.
The issue reportedly is related to money. Sony Pictures has the movie rights of Spider-Man for decades, and found great success with the character with director Sam Raimi and actor Tobey Maguire’s take on the web-slinger in the 2000’s, their three films grossed nearly $2.
5 billion worldwide. But then Sony’s reboot of the franchise with director Marc Webb and actor Andrew Garfield, released in 2012 and 2014, was seen as a critical and commercial disappointment.
In 2015, Sony agrees with the Disney-owned Marvel Studios to share the Spider-Man character.
Essentially, Disney got to use Tom Holland’s version of Spidey in its Marvel Studios movies — 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War, and this summer’s Avengers: Endgame. And Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige produced Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man movies for them, fully integrating the films within the MCU — 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and this summer’s Spider-Man: Far From Home.
According to Deadline’s report, stipulated to Sony that it wanted to split future Spider-Man movies in a 50/50 co-financing arrangement — which also meant a 50/50 split in the profits.
Sony is disappointed with Disney’s decision, adding that discussions around Feige’s continued role as a producer for the franchise had been “mischaracterized.”
“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,” the studio said on Twitter. “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.”
Sony’s representative echoed that, saying Sony was “grateful for his help and guidance and appreciate the path he has helped put us on, which we will continue.”
The Sony rep also stated they hoped things might “change in the future.”
According to BuzzFeed News, negotiations between Disney and Sony about the character’s fate remain ongoing, including how much Sony’s Spider-Man movies could remain a part of the MCU.