Marvel Studios’ apparent firing of Victoria Alonso, one of the most influential producers and executives in its history, has had industry insiders and watchers scratching their heads all week. And reportedly, it all came down to a contract breach.
According to a new report in THR, Alonso was fired over her involvement in the Oscar-nominated drama Argentina, 1985, which was distributed by Amazon Studios. She was a producer on the film, which seemingly breached her contract.
Per the report, she was warned about the issue several times, and it erupted during the week of the Oscars, which led Marvel to ultimately fire her. It marked a breach of a 2018 agreement, which prohibits employees from working for competing studios.
The report also states that Alonso neither got permission from nor gave notice to Disney about her work as a producer on Argentina, 1985 (although Alonso’s attorney would later deny this), which debuted last September at the Venice International Film festival.
IGN has reached out to Disney for comment.
Alonso’s attorney, however, has pushed back on the reports that she was fired over Argentina, 1985, and the work she did promoting the film, calling them “absolutely ridiculous.”
“The idea that Victoria was fired over a handful of press interviews relating to a personal passion project about human rights and democracy that was nominated for an Oscar and which she got Disney’s blessing to work on is absolutely ridiculous,” attorney Patty Glaser said in a statement to Variety. “Victoria, a gay Latina who had the courage to criticize Disney, was silenced. Then she was terminated when she refused to do something she believed was reprehensible. Disney and Marvel made a really poor decision that will have serious consequences. There is a lot more to this story and Victoria will be telling it shortly — in one forum or another.”
Earlier this week, Variety reported that Alonso, who was previously in charge of Marvel’s physical production, post-production, VFX, and animation, was fired at the behest of Disney co-chair Alan Bergman. Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios and Alonso’s direct boss, was reportedly not involved in the decision.
It was an undeniably shocking move, as Alonso – along with Feige and Marvel co-president Louis D’Esposito – was considered one of the three major decision-makers at the studio. Alonso’s involvement with Marvel goes all the way back to 2006, when she co-produced Iron Man. Starting with The Avengers, she would go onto become executive producer on every MCU film, in addition to each MCU Disney+ TV series.
Still, her tenure didn’t come without controversy. The visual effects on more recent MCU movies and TV shows have come under fire, and IGN previously talked to several VFX workers who spoke out about grueling hours at Marvel and fears of being blacklisted, among other conerns.
Disney and Marvel have yet to comment publicly about Alonso’s apparent termination.
Update, March 24: This story has been updated with a statement from Alonso’s attorney.
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Alex Stedman is a Senior News Editor with IGN, overseeing entertainment reporting. When she’s not writing or editing, you can find her reading fantasy novels or playing Dungeons & Dragons.
