Marvel Studios’ firing of Victoria Alonso, one of the most influential producers and executives in its history, caught industry insiders and observers by surprise all week. According to new reports, it was found that the reason was due to a breach of contract.
According to a new report from THRAlonso was fired over her participation in the Oscar-nominated drama Argentina, 1985, which was distributed by Amazon Studios. She was a producer on the film, which appears to have breached her contract.
The report revealed that she was warned about the issue several times, and things exploded during the week of the Oscars, leading to Marvel eventually firing her. This is a breach of the 2018 agreement, which prohibits employees from working for competing studios.
The report also states that Alonso did not obtain permission from Disney or provide notice for her work as a producer on Argentina, 1985 (although this was later denied by Alonso’s lawyer), which premiered last September at the Venice International Film Festival.
But Alonso’s lawyer has dismissed reports that she was fired over Argentina, 1985, and the work she did to promote the film, calling them “absolutely ridiculous”.
As attorney Patty Glaser said in a statement to Variety“The idea of Victoria being fired over some press interviews related to a project she has a personal passion about human rights and democracy that was nominated for an Academy Award and had Disney’s blessing to work on is absolutely ridiculous. Victoria was silenced…because she had the courage to criticize Disney. “And then she was fired when she refused to do something she thought was reprehensible. Disney and Marvel made a really bad decision that would have terrible consequences. There is a lot of detail to this story and Victoria will tell it soon, in one forum or another.”
Disney and Marvel have yet to comment publicly on Victoria’s expulsion.