Spider-Man Out of the MCU? - Situation Review

A couple of days ago it was revealed that re-negotiations between Sony and Disney around Spider-Man have fallen through and the character will be taken out of the MCU entirely. This has come as quite a shock to most fans, especially after the release of the latest movie Spider-Man: Far From Home (John Watts) which recently passed the $1 Billion mark in the worldwide box office. 

   So what does this mean for the future of the beloved Superhero? Well in this Situation Review I will be discussing why Sony did what they did and several possibilities for what will happen with Spider-Man.

Disney Vs Sony

So, the decision comes after Disney wanted to change the deal that they had with Sony so that they would gain 50% of the overall gross of the Spider-Man movies, rather than the 5% that they were currently receiving. A move that Sony wasn't happy with. 

   Now, if they were only talking about the movies then this would seem like a fair deal. The two studios would split the cost and the profit evenly. However, there are also other factors to take into account. Because the overall deal that Disney and Sony had also allowed for Disney to have the merchandising rights for Spider-Man and for him to be included in their theme park attractions. And since that hasn't really been mentioned by news headlines, it seems like that part of the deal remains unchanged. Meaning that Disney would actually be gaining a lot more than just 50% of the overall profits made from Spider-Man. Something that Sony is understandably not too happy with. Especially since Spider-Man is their most successful franchise.

Could Spider-Man still be in the MCU?

Actually, yes. Nothing has been set in stone just yet so a deal can still be made. Both companies have invested a lot of time into making Spider-Man a part of the MCU and I doubt that they would let it fall apart like this. Also, with the construction underway for Disney's new Marvel-Land, a theme park resort which Spider-Man is a big part of, it's not in their best interest to let negotiations fall through. Hopefully, the two companies can come to a new deal that benefits them both. Fans have really taken to the MCU's Spider-Man and really don't want his involvement to end. Especially with the big shock twist ending of Far From Home and the set-up for Spider-Man to become a key figure in the MCU going forward. So I think that both companies will go back into negotiations pretty soon, particularly with the D23 expo on the horizon.

If Spider-Man does leave the MCU

If Sony and Disney can't reach a deal then it's really not the end of the world. Fans are really turning against Sony, saying that they won't be able to make good Spider-Man movies without Marvel Studios. And, while I understand why fans would think that, and that Far From Home probably wouldn't have made a $1 billion if it wasn't part of the MCU, I don't think that Sony would falter without Marvel. They have produced some bad Spider-Man movies but they've also made a lot of good ones too! The Raimi movies are still beloved to this day, Venom (2018, Ruben Fleischer) may not have been a critical success but fans did enjoy it with 80% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes. And its upcoming sequel, which recently got Andy Serkis (Lord Of The Rings, Mowgli) to direct. And then there's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018, Peter Ramsey, Bob Persichetti, Rodney Rothman) was adored by Spider-Man fans and even won the Oscar for Best animated movie. 

   So I think, if a new deal isn't reached, Sony will be okay creating Spider-Man content, even without Marvel Studios and Disney.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I believe that the two studios should try and reach a new deal that benefits them both, as fans really want to see Spider-Man's role grow bigger in the MCU. Although, I also believe that 50% is too much for Disney to have when it comes to the movies, as they're also earning profits from the merchandising rights for the character. 

   Also, if the worst-case scenario does happen then it's not the end of the world. Sony may have faltered with some of their Spider-Man projects but they have also done quite a few good things too, which I believe they will continue to do, even without Marvel Studios.

And that's my Situation Review for Spider-Man potentially leaving the MCU. What do you think of the situation? Do you agree or disagree with what I had to say? Please leave a comment down below. And, if you liked what you've read then you can follow this blog for more content. Thank you for reading!