“In the end, no one could have treated my father worse than Marvel and Disney’s executives”
Joan Celia Lee, daughter of the late Stan Lee, has criticised Marvel and Disney over their controversial split from Sony Pictures over the rights to Spider-Man.
The superhero’s exit from the MCU was confirmed earlier this week, with Sony saying that they were “disappointed” by Disney’s demand to have a bigger financial stake in future Spider-Man films.
Joan Celia Lee has now released a statement about the split, in which she criticised both Disney and Marvel Studios over their handling of her late father’s comic creation.
“Marvel and Disney seeking total control of my father’s creations must be checked and balanced by others who, while still seeking to profit, have genuine respect for Stan Lee and his legacy,” reads Lee’s statement, which was released to TMZ.
“Whether it’s Sony or someone else’s, the continued evolution of Stan’s characters and his legacy deserves multiple points of view.
“When my father died, no one from Marvel or Disney reached out to me,” she continued. “From day one, they have commoditised my father’s work and never shown him or his legacy any respect or decency.
“In the end, no one could have treated my father worse than Marvel and Disney’s executives.”
Following the news of the surprise split, film fans have launched a number of petitions in an effort to keep Spider-Man in the MCU. One such campaign has so far attracted over 100,000 signatures.
