If Sony and Disney are screaming parents on the verge of divorce, then Tom Holland is the little boy shut up in his bedroom with a pillow wrapped around his head to block out the noise. He just wishes everyone could play nice, but it’s looking like he’ll have to go live with Sony and Disney won’t get visitation rights.
As it’s his career that’s caught in the middle of this billion-dollar Spider-Man controversy, everyone is watching him to see what his reaction will be. Most assume that, given his frequent praise for the MCU and friendships with the rest of the cast, that he wants Spidey to keep swinging around Avengers Tower. So, that’s why it’s being reported that Holland has thrown shade at Sony in a very subtle way, as he’s *gasp* unfollowed them on Instagram.
That’s according to Jeremy Conrad of MCU Cosmic. As a devoted MCU and Spidey fan, he’s not taken this news well. First came the announcement that his site would not cover any future non-MCU Spider-Man films, then he joined in on the #BoycottSonySpiderMan hashtag, stated that he wants to fire Sony Pictures Chairman Tom Rothman and finally, claimed he was now refusing to buy a PlayStation 5. On top of all that, he’s also said that Tom Holland has unfollowed Sony on Instagram.
As pointed out in the replies to this tweet though, while Tom Holland’s ‘following’ count has decreased from 262 to 261, there’s no indication that he was ever following Sony’s Instagram in the first place (which seems to mainly post pictures of headphones and cameras). Also, he’s still following Sony Pictures on Twitter.
I’m pretty sure this is just wishful thinking on Conrad’s part, but you never know. Then again, Holland’s probably contractually obliged to continue playing Spider-Man in Sony Pictures productions, so him making little jibes at them on social media wouldn’t be too smart. However, if and when he does make a statement, I’d understandably expect him to put out the PR approved line on this, as if I were him I’d want to stay as far away from the argument as possible.