The future of Spider-man as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is in jeopardy after Disney and Sony split over a disagreement on studio financing for the films.
According to Deadline, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige will not produce any further Spider-Man films because of an inability by Disney and Sony Pictures to reach new terms that would have given the former a co-financing stake going forward. A dispute that has taken place over the past few months at the top of Disney and Sony has essentially nixed Feige, and the future involvement of Marvel from the Spider-Man universe, the report said.
Deadline who first broke the news, stating further, that this comes at a moment when the last two films Kevin Feige produced broke all-time records, Disney’s Avengers: Endgame became the highest-grossing film of all time and Spider-Man: Far From Home this week surpassed the James Bond film Skyfall to become the all-time highest-grossing film for Sony Pictures.
An insider source told deadline that there are two more Spider-Man films in the works and the studio hopes to have director Jon Watts and Tom Holland front and centre, though Watts does not have a deal for the next picture and is not likely to return.
In addition, the report added that there is a lot of going on which are being kept away from fans, but it all comes down to money, and it’s easy to understand why both sides refused to give ground. Disney asked that future Spider-Man films be a 50/50 co-financing arrangement between the studios, and there were discussions that this might extend to other films in the Spider-Man universe. Sony turned that offer down flat. Sources said that Sony, led by Tom Rothman and Tony Vinciquerra, came back with other configurations, but Disney didn’t want to do that. But Sony did not want to share its biggest franchise. Sure Disney would be putting up half the funding, but the risk is in how much you are going to make back in profit. Disney wasn’t at all interested in continuing the current terms where Marvel receives in the range of 5% of first-dollar gross, the report said.
Both parties are still negotiations, as fans will be hoping they reach an agreement on a deal.