Spider-Man May be Out of MCU for Good

My Reaction to the News about Sony-Disney Spider-Man Partnership Breaking down

True believers, if you haven’t been on Twitter in the last few days, then you made a smart decision. People are fighting another flame war over Donald Trump’s latest remarks. Wildfires have been burning the Amazon Rainforest for three weeks, and I only learned of it now. I think Marvel Fans have gotten hit the hardest, though. In a recent article published by Deadline, it’s been revealed that Disney and Sony failed to reach a deal regarding the use o Spider-Man in future MCU films. As such, Spider-Man’s out of the MCU.

I still don’t entirely understand the reasons why, but I believe it comes down to money. Sony’s owned the film rights to Spider-Man for years. As part of the deal that brought the webhead into the MCU, they got most of the profits from Spidey’s solo films. With the MCU moving forward in a post-Endgame world, Disney wanted to change that, so they split the profits 50/50. Sony turned them down, and here we are.

Too Much Cheese for the Mouse

I’ve been keeping a close eye on Twitter, and lines are already being drawn in the sand. Almost everyone’s upset over the news; it’s just a matter of who’s to blame for this. On one side, we have those blaming Disney. They think the house of Mouse got too greedy. They may not be wrong, though.

While I’m happy that Disney buying Fix means the X-Men and Fantastic Four are under Marvel’s banner, that’s the only good thing I could think of. Disney’s getting a little too dominant in the entertainment industry for my tastes. Besides, does Disney need the money? They already have multiple channels under their belt. They own several streaming services and will their super streaming service. A good portion of this decade’s best cartoons has been Disney made. I can go on, but in my opinion, I don’t think Disney needed the money.

Sony’s Thoughts.

On Camp Sony’s side, they have a good track record with Spider-Man on their own. The first two Sam Raimi Spider-Man films were monumentally successful and helped shape the modern superhero movie. The original Spider-Man film’s what introduced me to the character.

Then we got Spider-Man 3, and that EMO Peter doing an SNL fever strut. And don’t even get me started on The Amazing Spider-Man. On the other hand, last year gave Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse. If you read my review of the film, then you know I consider it to be a love letter to Spider-Man. Plus, Sony has the Spider-Man game for PS4, which is now the bestselling superhero game ever.

The problem I see with Sony going it alone from here on out, though, is the limited pool of characters they have to draw from. Far less than what the MCU has now. That means unless they get creative, they’ll run out of ideas faster. And since Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is firmly rooted in the MCU, it will make it harder to avoid referencing it in future movies.

I Play the Blame Game From Both Sides

Now that I’ve looked at all the facts, I should make my opinion on the matter clear: I blame both parties right now. I blame Disney for trying to get more money right out of the gate when they didn’t need it. At the same time, I’m mad at Sony for their decision. I want to be able to see more of Spider-Man in the MCU and let’s be honest; Tom Holland does it better than anyone.

The worst part of this mess is how it’s divided the fans on the issue. Lines are being drawn in the sand, and people are taking sides. People are arguing over who’s in the right, and it’s not limited to the fans. Celebrities with connections to Marvel are weighing in. Jeremy Renner and Ryan Reynolds, aka Hawkeye and Deadpool, have thrown their support behind Disney’s side. Meanwhile, Joan Lee, daughter of the late Stan Lee, the co-creator of Spider-Man, is backing Sony on this. It’s like watching a civil war.

What’s Best for Spider-Man

I don’t know who’s in the right here, people. What I do know is that unless a deal can be reached, the fans are going to suffer. Perhaps this fight was inevitable, though. Two companies can’t own Spider-Man at once, and deep down, I think I knew this deal wouldn’t last forever. I only wish that it didn’t have to happen now when the MCU’s looking to its next phase.

As to how I think this will end, I think it comes down to how badly Disney wants Spider-Man to stay in the MCU. Sony holds the bargaining power right now, giving them an advantage. Whatever happens, I just want what’s best for Spider-Man. That, and I want Tom Holland to keep playing Spider-Man as long as possible.

Click Here to See my Review of Spider-Man: Far From Home and Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse.