The summer has been a whirlwind for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, full of exciting updates about the massive franchise. Spider-Man: Far From Home closed out Phase Three, and San Diego Comic-Con and the D23 Expo revealed the studio's plans for the future. But aside from all the awesome new updates, there's been one piece of news that has seriously bummed out the fans. Sony and Marvel's shared custody of Spider-Man has come to an unexpected end, seemingly removing Tom Holland's Peter Parker from the MCU in the process. And now Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn has responded to this internet-breaking news.
James Gunn is no stranger to Marvel-related drama, as he'd been the center of another controversial decision that leg to fan outrage. Gunn was fired from his directing gig with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 for a number of months, before eventually being reinstated to the highly anticipated blockbuster. Now he's responded to the latest Spidey related business split, saying:
It's two corporations working their shit out. I have no idea what's going on behind the scenes. But speaking of that, the day I shot this scene was the day I introduced Tom Holland to Stan Lee for the first time. Tom and Spider-Man director Jon Watts are both class acts.
James Gunn has had a long film career, and has a particular perspective on the superhero genre. As such, he seems to understand the business side of what's happening between Sony and Marvel. Both studios want the rights to Spider-Man and the money that he can make at the box office. That's show business.
The Guardians of the Galaxy director made his comment over on his personal Instagram page. While posting a photo with a figure based off Stan Lee's Guardians 2 appearance, he directly answered a fan comment about the Spider-Man situation. Marvel fans may be devastated that Spider-Man likely won't have a role in Phase Four, Gunn seems to have taken a more pragmatical approach to the ongoing situation.
Before Phase Three of the MCU began, Sony and Marvel reached a groundbreaking deal that allowed Spider-Man to join the massive shared universe, while his solo movies remained part of Sony's distribution. It was a surprising compromise that delighted moviegoers, and Tom Holland's Peter Parker made his debut in Captain America: Civil War.
Related: Tom Holland Addresses MCU Split: 'The Future For Spider-Man Will Be Different'
Holland had a whopping five appearances throughout Phase Three, and his version of Spider-Man quickly became a fan favorite character. It's for this reason that the deal's end was such a shocker to the public; Spider-Man: Far From Home arrived just a few months ago. It seems Sony will get full control over Spidey for his third movie, which will be built upon his previous appearances in the MCU.
James Gunn understands the realities of the business all too well, as he was the subject of the most recent controversy at Disney. It took a number of months and plenty of backlash, but Gunn was eventually brought back as the director for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. Perhaps the situation with Spider-Man will also work out, and Peter Parker will be allowed to stay within the MCU.
The next installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will be Black Widow on May 1st, 2020. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
