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Disney Denies Request to Put Spider-Man on Toddler’s Tombstone

united kingdom lloyd ollie jones walt disney company character tombstone denied marvel studios spider-man toddler
Credit: Lloyd Jones/Facebook, Marvel Studios

Disney is accused of exacerbating a grieving father’s heartbreak out of capitalistic greed and unsympathetic practices in reference to a Walt Disney Company character. A parent living in the United Kingdom named Lloyd Jones raised a superhero-loving son named Ollie Jones. Unfortunately, Ollie suffered from a rare disease called leukodystrophy – a genetic disorder that affects the brain, spinal cord, and other nerves in the body. The four-year-old passed away from his illness in December 2022.

united kingdom lloyd ollie jones walt disney company character tombstone denied marvel studios spider-man toddler

Credit: Marvel Studios

In the midst of his grief, Lloyd Jones wanted to honor Ollie’s life with Ollie’s favorite character – Spider-Man. Jones told Yahoo that Ollie’s “coffin was covered in Spider-Man” and “the procession was led by someone dressed as Spider-Man,” so he designed a headstone with the Marvel character watching over the tombstone. Jones explained that the tombstone design meant the world to his family. He was met with an unexpected call from the funeral director, explaining it could not be done without the permission of Spider-Man’s copyright owner.

The Walt Disney Company, of course, is the rightful copyright owner of Marvel Comics’ Spider-Man, like so many other iconic characters – whether created by the company itself or absorbed after purchasing a subsidiary. Lloyd Jones reached out to the Disney Company with his request and was denied. Jones, sure they would allow it, described the response as a “massive blow.”

united kingdom lloyd ollie jones walt disney company character tombstone denied marvel studios spider-man toddler

Credit: Jason Jones/ Facebook

The Sun reported on the Walt Disney Company’s permissions department’s reply:

We extend our sincere condolences. If we played a small part in Ollie’s happiness, we are honored. Generations of fans have responded to our characters with the same wonder and delight that Ollie did. In fact, many believe the characters to be real. We have striven to preserve the same innocence and magic around our characters that brought Ollie such joy. For that reason, we follow a policy that began with Walt Disney himself that does not permit the use of characters on headstones, cemetery or other memorial markers, or funeral urns.

united kingdom lloyd ollie jones walt disney company character tombstone denied marvel studios spider-man toddler

Credit: SWNS: South West News Service

Ollie leaves behind his parents and five siblings, including one sister with the same disorder. His father said this about the situation with his son’s beloved character: “I think this is all about money. Ollie’s last holiday was at Disneyland. He loved Spider-Man, and we had bought him all the toys. But now he has died, and we won’t be spending any more money, they don’t care.”

About Lana Porter

Lana has never lost a Disney Trivia night. Maybe it’s the hundreds of times she’s been to Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, her love for Disney’s ’90’s era hand-animated musicals, or the fact that she’s often likened to cartoon characters, but Disney and its magic have a special place in her heart. Her favorite Disney experiences include the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival, eating Mickey Bars on the PeopleMover, and crying during the Magic Kingdom fireworks show. One day she hopes to be chosen as the rebel spy on Star Tours. When Lana isn’t Park Hopping, she’s at home reading books of all topics, watching her favs on Disney+, or snuggling her two cats, which she swears are not named after Disney characters. She loves surprising people with her knowledge of the Marvel Cinematic Universe but admits she is still catching up with Star Wars. She is happy to combine her excitement for writing with her love for Disney-style storytelling and share what she can with the world!