Well, this one hurt.
The relationship between Disney and Sony that allows Spider-Man to be in the MCU is in a pretty precarious situation right now. Negotiations seem to have fallen through as far as renewing their deal, and Sony seems ready to move ahead with Spider-Man in their own universe without the likes of any of the MCU characters, stories, or histories. There is a lot of debate going on right now about who is “in the wrong” and which company is to blame, and more details and changes are coming out every day. One thing is for certain, however, and that is that the fans come out of this the roughest.
As someone whose favorite comic book character is Spider-Man, seeing him in so many Marvel movies and becoming an integral part of the greater cinematic universe was something I never thought I would see just a few years ago. The agreement that Sony and Disney came to allowed for some of the greatest moments a Spider-Man fan could ever ask for: from his introduction in Civil War to his mentorship from Iron Man, to the introduction of Mysterio being a legitimate live-action villain to seeing Peter Parker soar through the air swinging from a flying Mjolnir while cradling a fully-loaded Infinity Gauntlet. The last few years have been absolutely crazy, and I’m so grateful for the amazing moments I’ve been able to enjoy.
But I feel pretty burned. Once again, the greed of corporations taints the efforts to create a wonderful story utilizing one of the most wholesome art forms. Money and pride have destroyed what may have turned out to be Spider-Man’s greatest adventure ever, and fans are understandably livid about it. And while new information is continuously coming out about the failed negotiations and what one party did to the other, I can’t help but look to the future and wonder what we are going to get if Disney and Sony can’t find a way forward together.
I was one of the few people who supported the Venom movie both before and after release. It’s not a spectacular movie by any means, but it’s an enjoyable romp that Sony respectably put their resources toward. However, I can’t look at Venom and see it as a world where a “new” Spidey universe can exist and thrive simply because we’ve seen too much. We as fans know what is possible, and it will be difficult to go back from what we have known. I have never felt that fan entitlement was healthy, and honestly, we don’t really deserve anything. But the character does. Fans, Disney, and Sony have all seen what Spider-Man can be when given the right treatment and cooperation, and that character can offer inspiration, entertainment, and–as corny and naive as it may sound–hope to so many people. The world is a dark place, and like this mess, is dominated by greed and selfishness. We could all use a little light, and if there’s any opportunity for that light to continue on, even in something as seemingly insignificant as superhero movies, then it’s worth fighting for. So come on, Sony and Disney. You’re two of the most powerful companies in the world.
And with great power comes great responsibility.
