How Tom Holland’s Drunken Phone Call Kept Spider-Man In The MCU

Tom Holland’s portrayal of Spider-Man has garnered immense praise and an avid following in the Marvel community. When news broke of Disney and Sony’s unexpected falling out, panic swept the world as fans witnessed the loss of a cherished hero, one that would after the events of “Avengers: Endgame” fill the gap left behind by the loss of Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.).

Though the deal had been rekindled in late September, more information on just how exactly that occurred is only just now being revealed. Fans have long known that Holland brought Spider-Man back into the MCU, but he divulges even further with Jimmy Kimmel Wednesday, stating how he was “three pints in” at a pub when Iger finally called him.

“You don’t give Bob Iger a schedule,” he explained. Thus, Disney’s CEO called upon the actor when he was with his family amid trivia night. Holland went on to relate that while thanking Iger and explaining the devastation he himself felt following the Disney-Sony fallout, “I weeped.”

“I was really emotional because I felt like it was all coming to an end,” Holland explains.

Following the second “Spider-Man” outing, “Far From Home,” Sony and Disney’s superhero rights sharing deal fell apart. Announced in August, the breakup between Sony and Disney was seemingly born out of a financing deal, wherein Disney expected “Spider-Man 3” to be financed by both parties on a 50/50 basis, according to Variety. A new Disney-Sony deal was struck in late September that would reportedly see Disney expending 25% to bankroll another “Spider-Man” movie while receiving 25% of those profits.

After the Disney-Sony deal fell through, which coincided with Holland’s appearance at D23 Expo, the 23-year-old actor went to great lengths to ensure he would get in contact with Bob Iger. Disney’s CEO even expressed his own side of the events on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in early October.

“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 at the time.

Holland stars in an upcoming animated film alongside Will Smith called “Spies in Disguise” and will be appearing in a bank robbery flick by Marvel’s magic duo, the Russo Brothers, coined “Cherry.”