Disney And Sony Execs Address SPIDER-MAN's Return To The MCU; "We Heard Feedback Out There"

Disney And Sony Execs Address SPIDER-MAN's Return To The MCU; "We Heard Feedback Out There"

After a brief (and messy) divorce, Disney and Sony reunited to bring Spider-Man back to the MCU. Now, execs Alan Horn and Tom Rothman weigh in on how they made things right and the way it played out...

By JoshWilding - Oct 30, 2019 07:10 AM EST
Filed Under: No Way Home
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
The Hollywood Reporter recently caught up with Disney's Alan Horn and Sony Pictures boss Tom Rothman to discuss a number of topics, including the split between the two studios which led to Spider-Man (briefly) departing the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A disagreement over money is what caused that, but backlash from fans and filmmakers led to both sides restarting talks. 

"The fan base, which is important to all of us, seemed to really respond to what Tom and his folks have done before with our people," Horn explains. "They like the fact that the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Kevin Feige were involved [in the two Spider-Man films]. We heard feedback out there that suggested that joining forces once again was probably really a good idea."

While Sony came under fire for wanting to continue Spidey's stories without Marvel Studios, Disney was also branded "greedy" and it quickly became something of a PR nightmare for the studio.

Rothman was then asked about what happened and the trade mentioned that Sony has found success with Spider-Man away from Marvel Studios with the animated Into the Spider-Verse
 
"Yes, we have. But I agree with my distinguished colleague. This was a classic win-win-win. A win for Sony, a win for Disney, a win for the fans. The only thing I would say is that news cycles and the rhythm of negotiations do not necessarily overlap. And this is, in the words of Shakespeare, a consummation devoutly to be wished. We would have gotten there, and the news got ahead of some things."

Considering the fact that Disney CEO Bob Iger has revealed that it was Tom Holland who brought the two sides together after D23, it seems unlikely the press got ahead of themselves and that a deal was always a possibility (multiple outlets confirmed that both sides had walked away from the table). 

Are you glad that Spider-Man will stay in the MCU?

Check out our interview with Spider-Man: Far From Home director
Jon Watts and then hit the "View List" button for some amazing concept art!

 

Spiderman: Far From Home - Illusion Battle 11

 
Spiderman: Far From Home - Illusion Battle 11

 
Spiderman: Far From Home - Illusion Battle 11

 
Spider-Man: Far From Home - Smoke Tunnel

 
Spider-Man: Far From Home - Smoke Tunnel

 
Spider-Man: Far From Home - Eiffel Tower

 
Spider-Man: Far From Home - Eiffel Tower

 
Spiderman: Far From Home - Illusion Battle 10

 
Spiderman: Far From Home - Illusion Battle 10

 
Spiderman: Far From Home - Illusion Battle 10

 
Spiderman: Far From Home - Illusion Battle 09

 
Spiderman: Far From Home - Illusion Battle 08

 
Spiderman: Far From Home - Illusion Battle 08

 
Spiderman: Far From Home - Illusion Battle 07

 
Spiderman: Far From Home - Illusion Battle 06

 
Spider-Man: Far From Home - Light Speed Train

 
Spiderman: Far From Home - Illusion Battle 07

 
Spiderman: Far From Home - Illusion Battle 07

 
Spiderman: Far From Home - Illusion Battle 09

 
Spiderman: Far From Home - Illusion Battle 09

 
Many thanks to Thomas du Crest and Jonathan Opgenhaffen for the artwork used throughout this post. What do you guys think of this concept art? Let us know your thoughts down below!
 
Tom Holland Shares Disappointment With SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME - I Might Have Done Three Days On Location
Related:

Tom Holland Shares Disappointment With SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME - "I Might Have Done Three Days On Location"

SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME Star Charlie Cox Recalls Cut Reference To 2003's DAREDEVIL During His MCU Debut
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SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME Star Charlie Cox Recalls Cut Reference To 2003's DAREDEVIL During His MCU Debut

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L0RDbuckethead
L0RDbuckethead - 10/30/2019, 7:45 AM
This reeks of a PR stunt to drum up publicity and attention...
Kman
Kman - 10/30/2019, 7:47 AM
@L0RDbuckethead - And our hero Tom Holland swooped in and saved the day - how fitting lol
L0RDbuckethead
L0RDbuckethead - 10/30/2019, 7:53 AM
@Kman - Sounds about right. haha
Origame
Origame - 10/30/2019, 9:59 AM
@L0RDbuckethead - yeah. I thought this was about hearing feedback on the movies themselves and were changing the movies in the hopes of pleasing all fans after this "spidey leaving mcu" business, but no.
GhostDog
GhostDog - 10/30/2019, 7:46 AM
Disney and Sony said:
knocturnalzen10
knocturnalzen10 - 10/30/2019, 7:54 AM
@BlackBeltJones - your Gif game is so strong lol lol lol
GhostDog
GhostDog - 10/30/2019, 8:14 AM
@knocturnalzen10 -

OmegaDaGrodd
OmegaDaGrodd - 10/30/2019, 7:50 AM
GhostDog
GhostDog - 10/30/2019, 7:54 AM
@OmegaDaGrodd - LMA0!!!!!
Kumkani
Kumkani - 10/30/2019, 8:01 AM
@OmegaDaGrodd - Perfect lol
Kumkani
Kumkani - 10/30/2019, 8:02 AM
That was studio head PR speak for "We considered the money to be made. [frick] them fans."
regularmovieguy
regularmovieguy - 10/30/2019, 8:16 AM
There's a goldmine of content in this article...

There was criticism of the realistic violence in Joker, especially in the wake of so many mass shootings, and a Universal release, The Hunt, was actually scrapped this summer over similar violence concerns. What made The Hunt unreleasable and Joker a $900 million hit?

LANGLEY We took The Hunt from the release calendar out of sensitivity for the mass shootings that happened over the course of that weekend and we were in a window where we were heavily marketing. It later got conflated with it being about the movie's subject matter. But remember, nobody has seen this movie outside of the studio.

EMMERICH There were a lot of misunderstandings around the history of the tragic shooting in Aurora, [Colorado, in 2012,] which happened at a Batman film. And we were certainly supersensitive to it [and the tragedy for the victims and their loved ones]. But that film and that shooting had no connection in any way to the Joker character. So we had to judge our film on its own merits. A lot of the social media comments around the film were by people who hadn't seen the film and didn't know what it was. We looked at the film really closely and did feel that it was a great film. That it was a piece of art. And we didn't think it would inspire violence. We took it to Venice, where it won the Golden Lion. And we felt comfortable releasing the film.

@tmp3
OmegaDaGrodd
OmegaDaGrodd - 10/30/2019, 8:34 AM
Online bullying Martin Scorcese into calling Marvel films Cinema and Sony into splitting custody >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Whaley87
Whaley87 - 10/30/2019, 3:58 PM
@OmegaDaGrodd - I love the expression on her face here! Love Brie.
Kumkani
Kumkani - 10/30/2019, 8:42 AM
OT: Honestly what the [frick] is this game?

OmegaDaGrodd
OmegaDaGrodd - 10/30/2019, 9:17 AM
@WilliamCipher -
@Necropolitan -

Highflyer
Highflyer - 10/30/2019, 9:23 AM
I call bullsh*t. I'm pretty sure they were observant over the critical response of homecoming, FFH and Spider-Man in the MCU overall. They knew damn well there was going to be an outcry.
DaHyro
DaHyro - 10/30/2019, 9:31 AM
I’m happy for fans of this version who’ll be able to see him again, but after FFH, I never want to see a MCU Spidey film again.

Unless the trailer indicates a major change in direction, I’m not watching it
Mrcool210
Mrcool210 - 10/30/2019, 9:43 AM
I don't care how it happened, I'm just glad it happened. You both better make sure Spidey stays, He's too ingrained in the MCU for him to go away without there being a massive hole. So both of you play nice and make sure he sticks around.


OT: I just saw the lighthouse over the weekend, and it was [frick]ing amazing. Can't wait to see Battinson, He's going to kill it if this movie is anything to go by.



Spock0Clock
Spock0Clock - 10/30/2019, 12:08 PM
"...news cycles and the rhythm of negotiations do not necessarily overlap. ...We would have gotten there, and the news got ahead of some things."

So, it was a negotiation behind closed doors that got leaked to the public, which both companies tried to manipulate (but we all remember Sony's particularly stupid gambits like "Feige is too busy"), which all played really terrible for Sony (even if Disney didn't look particularly good), until they decided no más and ended the dance.

Is that about right?

Well, sure, whatever gets you there, I guess. If this is where "they would have gotten" anyway, then the whole exercise just made everybody look bad. Except the actual people making the movies and the actual fans who enjoy them who just wanted to keep a good thing going.
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