Disney facing 100k petition to approve Ollie’s super headstone
Thousands are calling for Disney to back down over its refusal to put a Spider-Man headstone at a four-year-old’s grave.
Little Ollie Jones died in December after a two year battle with leukodystrophy. His family came to the Kent Messenger for help last month after Maidstone Borough Council said they needed Marvel’s approval to give Ollie a superhero’s grave.
Days later Disney, which bought Marvel Entertainment for $4billion in 2009, denied the Jones’ family wishes, saying it did not want to associate its characters with death.
Since then more than 100,000 people have signed a Change. org petition calling for a u-turn on the refusal.
After the refusal, Ollie’s dad, Lloyd Jones, said: “I really wasn’t expecting this. I felt sure Disney would allow it. Characters die in their films. “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.” Speaking today, Ollie’s uncle Jason Jones, said: “It’s gone global, my brother Lloyd has been on TV in Asia and there are signatures from people in America, but there’s been nothing else from Disney. “Right now we’re trying to figure out who to go to next.” With the story reaching around the world, Spider-Man voice actor Yuri Lowenthal branded Disney’s decision “unconscionable”.
The actor, who voiced Spidey in last year’s Spider-Man game, said: “This is unconscionable. Spider-Man is tied inextricably to Uncle Ben’s death. And most Disney animated films begin with the death of a parent. An act like this could literally help kids deal with death better.” KM film critic Mike Shaw said the media giant’s refusal was “petty” and “callous”. Disney says its policy exists to “preserve the same innocence and magic that brought Ollie such joy.”