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Jon Favreau 'cautiously hopeful' Spider-Man will stay in Marvel Cinematic Universe

Speaking at Disney's D23 Expo event, the director said he hoped Marvel and Sony would work out their spider-beef.

Richard Trenholm Former Movie and TV Senior Editor
Richard Trenholm was CNET's film and TV editor, covering the big screen, small screen and streaming. A member of the Film Critic's Circle, he's covered technology and culture from London's tech scene to Europe's refugee camps to the Sundance film festival.
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D23 Expo 2019

Writer and director Jon Favreau at the Disney Legends Ceremony opening the 2019 D23 Expo in Anaheim, California.

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Rumours say Spider-Man might be out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But Jon Favreau, one of the architects of the MCU , is optimistic a deal might be worked out.

Spider-fans are distraught at reports Disney has fallen out with Sony, which owns the film rights to  Marvel's  comics character. Spider-Man is now an established part of the MCU, but his future may be in doubt if the two film studios can't work things out.

"As a fan, [I'm] cautiously hopeful that something will come together," Favreau told Entertainment Tonight at the Disney D23 event Friday. 

Favreau directed the first MCU film, Iron Man , back in 2008, and also starred in Spider-Man's MCU movies Homecoming and this summer's Far From Home. Far From Home has topped a billion dollars and sets up phase 4 of the MCU, so Spider-Man is key to the development of Marvel's movies. Meanwhile Favreau's character is now something of a mentor to Tom Holland's Peter Parker, so he'll no doubt be keen to continue that story.

Favreau is also masterminding Disney's new Star Wars series The Mandalorian, one of the many new shows planned for streaming service Disney Plus. A trailer is hotly-anticipated at D23, where new footage of Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker may appear too.

See the full interview with Jon Favreau on Entertainment Tonight here.

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