Disney CEO Bob Iger Credits Tom Holland For Getting Spider-Man Back To The MCU
Last week we learned that it was all because of Tom Holland’s efforts that Spider-Man ended back up in the MCU. After Sony Pictures and Disney Studios left the negotiating table, Holland stepped in to get the two companies back together and talking again, and it worked! Spider-Man is now back home for the time being.
Disney CEO Bob Iger recently appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live to promote his new book, The Ride of a Lifetime: Lessons Learned From 15 Years as CEO of the Walt Disney Company. While on the show, Holland’s efforts to save Spider-Man were brought up, and Iger was happy to talk about it and credit the actor for the MCU getting Spider-Man back:
"We had an event called D-23 and Tom [Holland] was there because he's a voice in a new Pixar movie called Onward. He said something and it was clear that the fans wanted Tom back as Spider-Man.”
Holland ended up asking for Iger's phone number and email and he agreed to speak with him:
"It was clear that he cared so much. He's a great Spider-Man. I felt for him and it was clear that the fans wanted all of this to happen."
Iger said that after speaking to the actor, he "made a couple of phone calls" before touching base with the head of Sony. "He called me and I called them," Iger said, and then added that "sometimes companies, when they are negotiating, they forget that there are other folks out there that actually matter."
Well, it’s a good thing that Holland reminded them that there are millions of fans out there that have forked over millions of dollars to watch their movies. Maybe these companies shouldn’t forget about the people that actually keep their companies in business.
Spider-Man will return for a third solo film and will also appear in one other MCU movie. Disney will contribute 25% towards production costs, while receiving 25% of the profits in the process. They will also continue to profit from the merchandising rights.
Kevin Feige is reportedly using these next two Spider-man appearances to give the character a proper MCU exit.