Tom Holland has revealed he wept during a drunken phone call to Disney boss Bob Iger, a conversation that has been credited with helping to keep the Spider-Man franchise within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
A deal between Sony and Disney – which allowed Spider-Man to cross over between the MCU and his own movies – spectacularly fell apart in August.
On Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the host recalled how the last time Iger was on the show, he spoke about how Holland helped smooth things over between Sony Pictures and Marvel.
"I wouldn't say it was entirely my doing," Holland replied, quipping: "I saved Spider-Man!"
The actor told Kimmel he was "devastated" over the Sony-Disney split and revealed he asked for Iger's email and phone number, explaining he only wanted to thank him for "changing my life in the best way".
When Holland and his family were at a pub quiz, and the actor was "three pints in" without having eaten much, he called Iger, who he says told him "there is a world in which we can make this work”.
Holland admitted he “wept” during the call. "I was really emotional because I felt like it was all coming to an end," he said.
Partly thanks to Holland, Iger and Sony film chairman Tom Rothman reached a new deal that calls for one more Spider-Man film that can feature characters and stories from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and will see Disney take home a higher producing fee for their involvement in the film than previous Spider-Man movies.
"I'm glad you got drunk and got on the phone with Bob," Kimmel told Holland.
