Disney's entire approach is Borg-style. They want everything. If they wait and let Sony flop around and lose money until the Mouse can get everything back under one umbrella on the cheap, then fine...but they saw the buzz with SM in the MCU, and Sony's finally cluing in that you need proper villains to tell a good hero story, so Disney tried an okeydoke that didn't work...
but make no mistake, the Mouse wants what the Mouse wants, one way or another.
I mean....I wouldn't say they're the Borg since Disney only wants what was originally Marvel's to begin with. It's not like Sony created Spider-Man.
I'm saying when it comes to bargaining chips, Sony had very few. Let's say they told Marvel to fukk off. Best case scenario, they start their own cinematic universe with Spider-Man. Marvel moves on with no Spider-Man....which is what they had planned anyway, with Phase 4.
So....Sony has their entire plan predicated on the success of Spider-Man and the extended characters....Marvel has 3-4 years mapped out without Spider-Man. That's before they introduce mutants, X-Men, F4, Doom, Galactus, and the dozens of other characters the Fox merger granted them.
I honestly don't think Marvel gives a fukk if they get back Spider-Man or not. Obviously they're not gonna turn down the chance to use him, though.
Fred.