TAGGED AS: Comic Book, Marvel, MCU, spider-man, Superheroes
Wipe your eyes, despairing Spidey-fans: Sony and Disney have pushed through their financing impasse and reached an agreement on the future of Spider-Man.
The two companies released a joint statement Friday in which it was announced they will co-produce a third movie in the current Spider-Man franchise – that’s the one that kicked off with Homecoming and Far From Home, which has become Sony’s highest-grossing movie ever – and Spider-Man would continue his involvement in the MCU.
Which is great, given that Far From Home set him up as its future.
The third standalone Spider-Man movie will be released July 15, 2021 – in line with the previous two films’ summer releases.
You can read all about the impasse and what it might have meant here. But how did the two sides reach their agreement? According to Variety, the new deal was signed Thursday and negotiations involved all the studio big wigs: Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige and Walt Disney Studios President Alan Horn, plus Sony Pictures Chief Tom Rothman. Disney will receive about 25% of the profits from the new film, Variety reports.
In a statement given to Variety, Feige said: “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. 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.”
We Love You 3000 Tom Holland! pic.twitter.com/EeEyXoC3Pw
— Rotten Tomatoes (@RottenTomatoes) August 25, 2019
Amy Pascal, whose Pascal Pictures will also produce the next Spider-Man film, said in a statement given to Variety: “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.”
What does this all mean for fans? Well, given Feige’s track record with the character – he not only co-produced the two recent Certified Fresh Tom Holland live-action films, but worked on Raimi’s Spider-Man movies in the 2000s – the news could be cause for celebration.
Though it’s worth noting that Sony was also poised to do potentially interesting things with the character outside of the MCU: there was the chance of a Venom crossover, and Sony’s Oscar-winning animated Into the Spider-Verse film – the best reviewed Spider-Man movie ever at 97% on the Tomatometer – opened up the doors to infinite possibilities.
Tom Holland wants to play #SpiderMan for a very, very long time. pic.twitter.com/cKnQIM8BLD
— Rotten Tomatoes (@RottenTomatoes) July 8, 2019
Either way, we’re sure Tom Holland is feeling so good today. He told Rotten Tomatoes this year, “I honestly would play Spider-Man until I can’t walk anymore.” Looks like he may just do that.
