MCU’s esteemed executive Victoria Alonso departing Marvel Studios has led to speculations that her exit was influenced by her alleged toxic work environment for VFX artists. Vulture’s senior journalist claims, according to his sources – Alonso also had a blacklist that kept FX workers in check through fear. But many Marvel fans and critics have questioned the bombshell accusation if only one person could be held answerable for the studio’s questionable relationship with the visual effects industry.
From serving as a co-producer on 2008’s Iron Man to serving as an exec producer for Doctor Strange 2– Victoria Alonso has long been considered a powerhouse for Marvel Studios and also a proponent of the LGBTQ. Though lately, her name has popped up alongside Kevin Feige for setting unrealistic demands for visual effects artists during post-production. The VFX president’s sudden exit shocked Hollywood but has also led to dissent surrounding senior reporter Chris Lee’s tweets stating “Victoria Alonso was singularly responsible for Marvel’s toxic work environment.”
The journalist is known for his coverage of VFX crunch culture in Hollywood with his January report on the VFX union outright stating, “everyone’s quite scared of is Victoria Alonso.” MCU head Kevin Feige is also named in the story as the main exec in charge of approving every single VFX shot which is usually a director or showrunner’s responsibility. Though a Marvel insider also denied the claim in the same report whilst also calling the blacklist a myth.
Victoria Alonso is receiving her fair share of support and criticism since news broke of her departure from Marvel. But even critics like Joanna Robinson have refuted the claims calling it a “gross mischaracterization”. Readers can check out reactions below.
They’re making Victoria Alonso the fall guy. They’re pinning all the VFX issues on her so by firing her it looks like the problem is fixed and they don’t have to address the systemic issues in the VFX industry. https://t.co/u4PZPPmppn
— CAPTAIN_117 (@captain_117) March 20, 2023
SO many VFX sources have told me Victoria Alonso was singularly responsible for Marvel's toxic work environment: a kingmaker who rewarded unquestioning fealty with an avalanche of work, but who also maintained the blacklist that kept FX pros wild eyed with fear
— Chris Lee (@__ChrisLee) March 20, 2023
She held a crazy amount of power, bigfooting all major creative decisions on Marvel movies and shows. "Kevin Feige and Victoria Alonso personally approve every single shot, all the visual effects work, which is usually the job of a director or a show runner," one tech told me.
— Chris Lee (@__ChrisLee) March 20, 2023
"The main one that everyone's quite scared of is Victoria Alonso," another tech said. "If she likes you, you're going to get work and you're going to move up in the industry. If you have pissed her off in any way, you're going to get frozen out"
— Chris Lee (@__ChrisLee) March 20, 2023
No chance it’s just one guy. One of the more offputting things about Fiege as a figurehead is that it seems like he enjoys using scapegoats whenever the mcu gets bad press. Ever since he was blaming Pearlmutter for the Netflix shows being mid he has been unable to help himself. https://t.co/fMtqL9425N
— Ursula K LeChina (@Java_jigga) March 20, 2023
Bob Iger and Marvel Studios have clearly listened to the criticism and feedback. Projects are being delayed for more polish and refining, Victoria Alonso has parted ways, who as we now know was behind the VFX crunch. Interesting developments all around pic.twitter.com/z6Pv6fHl2x
— That REDACTED Guy #NWH (@REDACTEDSpider) March 20, 2023
victoria alonso leaving the mcu as soon as the vfx artists actually start advocating for better working conditions pic.twitter.com/zY7OVj7Zui
— kaitlin (she/her) (@youngavengersb) March 20, 2023
marvel’s VFX artists reading the Victoria Alonso news pic.twitter.com/aJZ7YEwU0G
— lewis 🪩 (@lewisjwr) March 20, 2023
I was wondering how long it would take them to pin all the post-production and VFX issues on Victoria Alonso.
— Scott (@DerfelMacGuffin) March 20, 2023
Marvel Studios’ shady VFX practices aren’t all caused by one person, but Victoria Alonso is someone throughout Hollywood known to be someone you don’t want to get on the bad side of. That was her division that Feige put her in charge of.
— Tom Smith (@Tom_Smith717) March 20, 2023
Man those VFX workers must be having the time of their lives so so much , for Victoria Alonso to step down like that , I mean I’m not surprised she left
For being one of the earliest members for Marvel Studios . I’m not sad she left , a lot of people wanted her gone anyway— Joe hyped ⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️⚡️ saw Shazam FOTG (@Joefanatic23) March 20, 2023
It's kind of wild that Victoria Alonso worked at Digital Domain as a VFX producer, but ended up making unrealistic demands of the industry. I'm curious if this was her mismanagement or simply pressure from Chapek/Disney to churn out content without much thought to resources.
— Christopher Marc (@_ChristopherM) March 20, 2023
This is just the absolutely opposite of what I’ve heard from every person who has ever worked with her. I’d call it a gross mischaracterization. https://t.co/wSNGp2yR2K
— Joanna Robinson (@jowrotethis) March 20, 2023
Chris has done a lot of great reporting on the state of VFX work in Hollywood and particularly Marvel and I know his anonymous sources have some very legit concerns but this is absolutely not who Victoria is.
— Joanna Robinson (@jowrotethis) March 20, 2023
Two final things and then I’m logging off.
1) my bonafides are I spent the last 4 years working on a book about Marvel Studios interviewing people on every level
2) I’ve no reason to carry water for Marvel. They didn’t lift a finger to help with the book in fact they blocked us— Joanna Robinson (@jowrotethis) March 21, 2023
Really it's One person? https://t.co/mfV4sVgv8J
— wife guy yee (@greeneggs187) March 21, 2023
the marvel vfx artists seeing that victoria alonso left: pic.twitter.com/vCfVlcgnYl
— m (@rogersthmusical) March 20, 2023
It's legit to criticize Victoria Alonso, especially as more damning information comes out about how she dealt with her VFX fiefdom at Marvel, but the guys–and it's all guys–crowing about "one down" and then panting for Kathleen Kennedy to be fired are telling on themselves.
— Sarah Marrs (@Cinesnark) March 21, 2023
"fear of an alleged blacklist at the feet of Alonso. “The main one that everyone’s quite scared of is Victoria Alonso,”
Considering what has happened to VFX, and she's in charge, I do not mourn her departure from Marvel. https://t.co/HM8oAEmiF0
— Aliaa (she/her) (@AliaaAloha) March 20, 2023
Victoria Alonso was with marvel for 17 years so I wonder if she was fired due to her relation with the vfx or because of something else…
— aniya. (@eliixirgenius) March 20, 2023
Interesting how quickly people believe anything about a Latina or woman of color. Truest colors show when you speak about a WOC in an executive position. https://t.co/5YC98UlDRY
— Yolanda Machado (@SassyMamainLA) March 21, 2023
Both Alonso & Feige approved every VFX shots. So there's no way Feige don't know what happened. He acquiesced to everything around VFX artists. But Disney couldn't fire him. https://t.co/f7hfPwjTFC pic.twitter.com/qavk2h9E1L
— Gavin (@gavinfeng97) March 21, 2023
So what, Feige is singularly responsible for all the good, and Victoria for all the bad?
Sounds like they're getting ready to make her a scapegoat for mess that's about to be revealed, and I won't be surprised if it's about the VFX teams since we know they've been struggling. https://t.co/qVlrFXbNH8— Carolyn Hinds in 🇨🇦 @SXSW 🇧🇧🗺 (@CarrieCnh12) March 20, 2023
Not sure I buy the fact that one singular person is to blame for crunch conditions in an entire production company but if she was as bad as stated, then hopefully this does change the attitude and nature around VFX and these movies being made. https://t.co/fdEgRvJbNt
— Anthony Nash 🔜 PAX East (@_anthonynash) March 21, 2023
Serving as the president of Post-production, VFX and Animation – Alonso is credited for some of Marvel’s finest work with her name also among the executive producers listed as a Primetime Emmy nominee for What If…? in the Outstanding Animated Program category. She also produced the Oscar-nominated Argentina, 1985.
With a list of applaud-worthy titles to her name, the former VFX president for Marvel Studios is also responsible for MCU’s latest entry, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania which was embroiled in the VFX crunch controversy. In fact, Vulture’s report for Ant-Man 3 highlighted the unrealistic deadlines set for VFX workers which goes back as far as Spider-Man: No Way Home. Moreover, the lackluster VFX quality in Thor: Love and Thunder and other projects were also revealed to be a consequence of work overload.
Victoria Alonso is still attached as an executive producer for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Secret Invasion and Ironheart.
