Spider-Man will reportedly not return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe
By Erik Swann
The Spider-Man era in the MCU appears to be over, as Kevin Feige and Tom Holland seem to confirm that the character will not return.
The superhero world was rocked this past week when it learned that Disney and Sony couldn’t agree on a new deal to keep Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While there has been a lot of back and forth since the initial report, it appears the situation has finally reached its conclusion.
Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige caught up with EW at Disney’s D23 Expo, and his comments seemed to indicate that Spider-Man’s time in the MCU is indeed over. The producer expressed nothing but gratitude about being able to tackle the character while understanding that the arrangement likely wouldn’t last forever:
"“I’m feeling about Spider-Man gratitude and joy. We got to make five films within the MCU with Spider-Man: two standalone films and three with the Avengers. It was a dream that I never thought would happen. It was never meant to last forever. We knew there was a finite amount of time that we’d be able to do this, and we told the story we wanted to tell, and I’ll always be thankful for that.”"
Tom Holland also sat down with the trade at D23 where he fondly reflected on playing the character under Marvel Studios for the last five years. He also reaffirmed his commitment to the part, confirming that he will continue in the role under Sony. With this, he expressed his hope that they can still deliver something that will please the fans:
"“Basically, we’ve made five great movies. It’s been five amazing years. I’ve had the time of my life. Who knows what the future holds? But all I know is that I’m going to continue playing Spider-Man and having the time of my life. It’s going to be so fun, however we choose to do it. The future for Spider-Man will be different, but it will be equally as awesome and amazing, and we’ll find new ways to make it even cooler.”"
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Although Spider-Man’s MCU exit appeared more likely as time went on, Holland’s status wasn’t a sure thing. According to THR, the actor had an option to return for a third film, making his involvement in future movies unclear. But even though Holland is set to return, it is still unknown if Sony will resign director Jon Watts.
This is a bittersweet development, to say the least, as both Marvel Studios and Holland ushered in a new big-screen era for Spider-Man. Fans have praised his portrayal, with many declaring him to be the best big-screen interpretation of the character. They’ve also enjoyed seeing him interact with the other heroes of the MCU.
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The fact that Holland’s Spider-Man will not return to the cinematic franchise is disappointing, especially after the ending of Spider-Man: Far From Home. But at least, fans can look forward to seeing more of Holland in the future.