Marvel Studios and Sony’s announcement of a brand-new Spider-Man movie deal thrilled many fans around the world, but it seems the two parties joining forces again has got Avi Arad, veteran producer of the franchise, agitated with the idea.
The said deal will give Marvel Cinematic Universe the power to bring Spider-Man into their films and join the rest of the Avengers and other Marvel characters. Despite the rigorous but successful process, Avi Arad thinks the idea is extremely terrible.
Spider-Man Producer Avi Arad Calls Marvel-Sony Deal A Terrible Idea
Spider-Man debuted in the MCU in 2016, teaming up with the Avengers in Captain America: Civil War. Tom Holland reprised the role in three solo movies and two Avengers films. His most recent project, No Way Home, delighted all generations of Spider-Man fans after it brought Tobey Maguire’s and Andrew Garfield’s versions of our favorite web-slinger.
In Sean O’Connell’s book, With Great Power, Avi Arad slammed the Marvel-Sony deal and called it “the worst deal.” Much of the blame was attributed to producers Amy Pascal and Michael Lynton. Arad said:
“They did it for money. Terrible… Like giving your kids away for adoption, just because you’re not sure what to do with them.”
Arad has been working on the Spider-Man franchise since the first movie adaptations. He has also worked on several superhero movies like Blade and Daredevil. His long history with comic book movies proves that he knows a lot about the inner workings of movie deals.
Amy Pascal Says The Multi-Studio Deal Might Never Happen Again
O’Connell’s With Great Power follows Spider-Man’s journey from his comic book days to the big screen. It features interviews and insights from directors, producers, actors, and writers, who worked in the franchise since its humble beginnings.
Amy Pascal said in an interview with O’Connell that deals like this do not happen often, and it may never happen again.
“Here’s the thing that I want to emphasize because I think this is really important, and I don’t know if it will ever happen again in the history of the movie business. You had three studios that came together to have these movies get made. And no studio likes to share anything with anyone, let alone three studios.”
Pascal also shared that she’s proud of the decisions they have made.
“[We] realized that what was right for the character meant you might have to give up a little to get something better… And I’m very proud of that.”
The Marvel-Sony deal has undergone several adjustments regarding their shares. In a report from The Direct, Marvel will finance 25% of the movie’s cost and will receive the same profit, while the 75% would go to Sony, who still owns the rights to Spider-Man.
So far, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man 4 is rumored to arrive in theaters on July 2024, although no confirmation has been made. Meanwhile, Spider-Man: No Way Home is available to stream via Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+.
Source: The Direct