Marvel fans are outraged by the shocking announcement that Sony and Marvel Studios have broken up, putting Spider-Man’s place in the MCU in jeopardy. If you’re confused by the news, here’s what you need to know.

What happened:

After months of communication, Marvel and Sony Pictures have parted ways with each other after Marvel and Disney asked for “a bigger piece of Spider-Man movies going forward.” The report states that Sony disagreed with the request and instead asked for “an extension of the existing agreement, which sees Marvel receiving a modest five percent of first-dollar gross, as well as all merchandising revenue.”

The breakup has resulted in not just the partnership between Marvel and Sony dissolving, but it also means that Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige will no longer be listed as a producer on future Spider-Man films. The franchise now goes back to Sony, which means that Tom Holland’s tenure as Peter Parker could be over, despite Spider-Man: Far From Home ending on a cliffhanger.

After fan outrage, Sony later took to Twitter and The Hollywood Reporter to attempt to explain the news, which they said had been “mischaracterized.”

“We are disappointed, but respect Disney’s decision not to have [Feige] continue as a lead producer of our next live action Spider-Man film,” stated the studio. “We hope this might change in the future, but understand that the many new responsibilities that Disney has given him–including all their newly added Marvel properties–do not allow time for him to work on IP they do not own.”

Much of today’s news about Spider-Man has mischaracterized recent discussions about Kevin Feige’s involvement in the franchise. We are disappointed, but respect Disney’s decision not to have him continue as a lead producer of our next live action Spider-Man film. (1/3)

— Sony Pictures (@SonyPictures) August 21, 2019

We hope this might change in the future, but understand that the many new responsibilities that Disney has given him – including all their newly added Marvel properties – do not allow time for him to work on IP they do not own. (2/3)

— Sony Pictures (@SonyPictures) August 21, 2019

Kevin is terrific and we are grateful for his help and guidance and appreciate the path he has helped put us on, which we will continue. (3/3)

— Sony Pictures (@SonyPictures) August 21, 2019

What does this mean for Marvel?

Clearly, there’s going to be the problem of how the next phase of Marvel’s films will go forward without Peter Parker. As fans could tell from the ending of Far from Home, Peter’s arc involving Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) was going to be a large chunk of how Phase 4’s storytelling would proceed. On top of that, Holland has already become a beloved addition to the MCU, especially regarding his relationship with his mentor, Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.).

How Marvel will write Peter out of the rest of the franchise is anyone’s guess, but could this untimely change give Marvel a chance to finally bring Miles Morales to the fold? Technically, the deal between Sony and Marvel revolves strictly around Peter Parker as Spider-Man. As reported by Variety in 2015, Sony outlined in leaked emails that the licensing contract between Sony and Marvel states that “mandatory” character traits for Peter Parker and Spider-Man must be that he’s white and heterosexual. However, you can see that there’s a loophole in the agreement–while Peter Parker might be white, Miles Morales is not.

Of course, Sony could still legally say that any “Spider-Man” is under their jurisdiction since the contract does specifically state Peter and Spider-Man. But to me, there could still be enough wiggle room that would allow Miles to at least be introduced to the MCU by his name, if not also by his superhero moniker.

However, the situation is still fluid as the dust on the dramatic dissolution between the two studios hasn’t settled yet. But for right now, fans seemingly have to start getting used to the idea of an MCU without Peter Parker (and possibly, without Tom Holland).

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Photo: Sony

Peter Parker

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