It’s been nearly a month and everybody is still talking about Spider-Man leaving the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Sony has decided to turn down offers from Marvel Studios in an attempt to take the franchise on their own. While there are obviously two sides to this story, Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo believe Sony made a “tragic” mistake in thinking they can replicate the success of Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige.
When asked about the Spider-Man situation a few weeks ago, both Joe and Anthony Russo admitted they were not surprised by the Marvel Studios and Sony split. In a new interview, Anthony Russo basically reiterated that stance when asked about it. He also echoed previous statements about how hard it was to reach a deal in the first place. He had this to say.
“It was so difficult to get him (Spider-Man) into Civil War. It was an extremely long and hard process. But we were driven to help make it happen. But (Marvel Studios President) Kevin Feige pulled it off, somehow. Disney and all the good people at Sony found a way to make it work and it lasted a few films. We had a wonderful experience with that and I think audiences really appreciated that marriage. But we know how hard that marriage was to make in the first place, so the fact that the marriage fell apart isn’t really that surprising to me and Joe.”
Joe Russo went on to reveal that the relationship between Marvel Studios and Sony wasn’t always easy to deal with. When looking at Spider-Man, who is obviously one of the biggest superheroes in the world, sharing him with a rival studio is going to be a bitter pill to swallow. However, the relationship was incredibly fruitful for both studios because of their relationship. To go on without Marvel Studios is a mistake, according to Joe Russo. He explains.
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“It was a tenuous, fraught union throughout the whole process. But, I will say, stepping back and trying to be objective as possible, that I think it’s a tragic mistake on Sony’s part to think that they can replicate Kevin’s penchant for telling incredible stories and the amazing success he has had over the years. I think it’s a big mistake.”
There are a lot of Marvel Cinematic Universe fans who will agree with Joe Russo. While Sony was a big part in making Spider-Man successful, they don’t have the track record of someone like Kevin Feige in terms of storytelling. They have made a bit of a stumble with the character recently and Marvel fans weren’t exactly ecstatic about the Venom storyline from last year’s movie. While it was a box office success, fans and critics were quick to voice their displeasure with it.
Now, Sony wants to bring the Spider-Verse all together under one umbrella. Fans definitely want to see Tom Hardy and Tom Holland together on the big screen, but will Sony be able to pull it off in a satisfying way? That’s the big question mark as we wait to see Venom 2, Morbius the Living Vampire, and the sequel to Spider-Man: Far From Home. The interview with the Russo Brothers was originally conducted by The Toronto Sun.
