In the wake of the news that Spider-Man could potentially leave the MCU thanks to a breakdown in talks between Sony and Marvel, Sony Pictures has responded, suggesting that the main reason for the split appears to be head of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige’s increasing workload. A recent report, however, says that the deal isn’t dead yet and negotiations are still ongoing.
“Much of today’s news about Spider-Man has mischaracterized recent discussions about Kevin Feige’s involvement in the franchise,” according to Sony, the studio that owns the Spider-Man movie rights, in a statement released overnight on Twitter. “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.”
Tucked away in the statement, though, is a crumb of hope for fans who hope Spidey can swing back into the MCU under Marvel’s guidance at some stage, with Sony stating: “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.”
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)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)August 21, 2019
It’s not quite as cut-and-dry as it would appear, though. ComicBook.com is reporting that there is still a dialogue between the two parties. Sources indicate that the point of contention between Sony and Marvel is the belief that Feige is pushing for producer credits on more Sony movies in the wider Spider-Man universe. This story, clearly, still has a long way to go before reaching its conclusion.
For now, Sony seems set on forging its own path with Spider-Man. Disney, meanwhile, has yet to release an official statement in response and is currently gearing up for its biennial D23 expo this weekend in Anaheim, California.
