Kevin Feige Talks Sony/Marvel Split, Doesn't Want To Put Fans Through That 'Emotional Roller Coaster' Again
Buckle in, kiddos, because I'm about to wax poetic about the pros and cons of the internet with regards to movie entertainment. On the plus side, fans have greater access to all the most exciting filmmaking updates they could possibly want than at any other time in history. The power of accessibility! Also, the internet is also why I currently have this job. (Admittedly, some may consider that part a negative.)
On the other hand, is there such a thing as having too much noise to sift through on an everyday basis, constantly demanding our attention when it may not have even been worth all the time and energy in the first place? It wasn't that long ago when the internet collectively melted down over the possibility that Tom Holland's run as Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe would come to an abrupt end. Ultimately, though, the higher-ups at both Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures put their heads together and figured things out because — surprise, surprise — there was simply too much money at stake for all parties involved.
This was always the likeliest outcome of the stand-off, despite how close it apparently came to falling apart, but fans following along with the action on a minute-by-minute basis sure whipped themselves into a frenzy anyway until it became official. Again, this was all made possible thanks to the internet turning some standard, greedy corporate pencil-pushing into a spectator sport. But that's just me!
In any case, Kevin Feige is opening up about that brief creative rift and assures fans that, hopefully, nobody will have to relive that experience all over again.
Marvel v Sony: Dawn of Profit
Empire has become a source of all things Spidey-related in the last few days, first giving us some vague clues of what to look forward to in "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and then leaving its print issue to provide the most solid indication yet about the villains that will be joining the already-confirmed multiversal crossovers of Alfred Molina's Doc Ock and Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin.
Now, the magazine is back with some more information straight from Marvel's head honcho himself, Kevin Feige. According to Comic Book, Feige revealed that he reached a point where he had to mentally prepare himself just in case the worst outcome should come to pass:
"I was mentally preparing to emotionally separate from it. I didn't love it, but it is what it is. And then, thankfully, it came back together ... I don't anticipate us going through that emotional rollercoaster, or putting fans through that emotional rollercoaster, again."
Since the world (mostly?) hasn't been reduced to flaming embers by legions of comic book aficionados, we can safely say that it did, in fact, come back together and that Spider-Man remains an integral part of the MCU. It should be music to the ears of Marvel fans that Feige is expressing some public confidence that he doesn't anticipate this sort of business impasse to obstruct his creative plans in the future.
Amusingly enough, Tom Holland himself spoke candidly about the corporate machinations of the deal-making that was far above his (and our) paygrade:
"From a business point of view, I wasn't instrumental at all. People seem to think I suddenly went to law school and singlehandedly struck up a deal between Sony and Disney. Essentially, all I did was show both parties how passionate I was about this character. I basically said, 'Look, if there's a world where you can fix this, it will be so much better for the character, and for me, and for the fans. So if you can fix it, fix it.'"
Obviously, everything turned out alright in the end and it doesn't look like there are any big storm clouds on the horizon ... not even with Holland's contract expiring soon.
"Spider-Man: No Way Home" comes to theaters on December 17, 2021.