Victoria Alonso, the longtime Marvel president who oversees physical production, post-production, VFX and animation, has been fired at the behest of Disney co-chairman Alan Bergman, according to a new report from Variety.
The report follows Alonso’s sudden departure from the company, which surprised many observers. Alonso had been with Disney since 2006 and she was known as one of the most influential producers at the company. Her work dates back to 2008’s Iron Man, where she served as co-producer and visual effects producer.
It’s unclear why Alonso was fired, although issues with Marvel’s visual effects have been in the news for some time, with Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania being the latest MCU project to draw criticism. Alonso was reportedly “taken aback” by the decision. Kevin Feige, who was her direct boss, was apparently not involved in the decision.
Victoria Alonso with Alan Bergman at the debut of Ant-Man & The Wasp. | Credit: Alberto Rodriguez/Getty Images
IGN has contacted Disney for comment but has not yet received a response.
Marvel’s visual effects problem
Visual effects have become a recurring concern at Marvel, in large part due to the grueling pace at which the studio is attempting to support multiple platforms. In 2022, IGN interviewed several VFX artists who spoke about tight deadlines and unrelenting sophistry in the face of great fear of being blacklisted.
While Alonso played a big part in Disney’s overall strategy, many balked at blaming her for Marvel’s VFX issues.
“[Alonso] was the epitome of professionalism and knowledgeable,” a former Disney film exec reportedly told Variety.
Regardless of the reasons for Alonso’s abrupt departure, Marvel finds itself under more pressure than ever as Phase 5 begins, and another hole to fill with the loss of another longtime veteran.
Kat Bailey is Senior News Editor at IGN and co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Do you have a tip? DM her to @the_katbot.