Marvel Studios has pulled off what was seen as the impossible, by successfully negotiating with Sony Pictures to allow Spider-Man to spin his webs in Marvel’s cinematic universe.
Instantly this is one of the year’s biggest stories, as one of the most profitable characters in comic book history will be able to play for two studios. According to the joint press release, the new Spider-Man will appear in an undetermined upcoming Marvel movie. This will serve as the introduction to the Marvel cinematic universe’s version of the superhero, presumably with a brand new actor wearing the tights. Here are some of the specifics on the deal:
Under the deal, the new Spider-Man will first appear in a Marvel film from Marvel’s Cinematic Universe (MCU). Sony Pictures will thereafter release the next installment of its $4 billion Spider-Man franchise, on July 28, 2017, in a film that will be co-produced by Kevin Feige and his expert team at Marvel and Amy Pascal, who oversaw the franchise launch for the studio 13 years ago. Together, they will collaborate on a new creative direction for the web slinger. Sony Pictures will continue to finance, distribute, own and have final creative control of the Spider-Man films.
The timing is important to consider when projecting the plan to unveil the next Spider-Man. It is clearly stated that he will debut in a Marvel film before starring in his own solo film in 2017, in an effort to reestablish the hero. That leaves only one movie as a possibility, unless Peter Parker is going to be travelling into space in Guardians of the Galaxy 2, which will not happen. That leaves Captain America: Civil War as the only viable option for the wall crawler to appear in. Keep in mind that filming will begin in two months, so it is unlikely that Marvel has anything more than a featured cameo. However, that brief glimpse of things to come will be more than enough for Marvel fans.
The press release also mentions that “Marvel and Sony Pictures are also exploring opportunities to integrate characters from the MCU into future Spider-Man films.” That is a huge statement because it means that the Spider-Man solo films will exist within the same continuity as the MCU for the first time. This means that it is within the realm of possibility to see a character such as the Hulk or Hawkeye appear in a film.
It should be noted that following the financial and public relations nightmare with the North Korean hacking scandal, Sony may have felt that it didn’t have enough goodwill to make another Spider-Man film on their own. Whatever the real reason is for Sony completing the deal, comic book fans all over the world are imagining Spider-Man one day joining the ranks of the Avengers, with huge smiles on their faces.
The untitled Spider-Man movie will open on July 28th, 2017.
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Source: Marvel
Official Press release:
(Culver City, California, and Burbank, California February 09, 2015) – Sony Pictures Entertainment and Marvel Studios announced today that Sony is bringing Marvel into the amazing world of Spider-Man.
Under the deal, the new Spider-Man will first appear in a Marvel film from Marvel’s Cinematic Universe (MCU). Sony Pictures will thereafter release the next installment of its $4 billion Spider-Man franchise, on July 28, 2017, in a film that will be co-produced by Kevin Feige and his expert team at Marvel and Amy Pascal, who oversaw the franchise launch for the studio 13 years ago. Together, they will collaborate on a new creative direction for the web slinger. Sony Pictures will continue to finance, distribute, own and have final creative control of the Spider-Man films.
Marvel and Sony Pictures are also exploring opportunities to integrate characters from the MCU into future Spider-Man films.
The new relationship follows a decade of speculation among fans about whether Spider-Man – who has always been an integral and important part of the larger Marvel Universe in the comic books – could become part of the Marvel Universe on the big screen. Spider-Man has more than 50 years of history in Marvel’s world, and with this deal, fans will be able to experience Spider-Man taking his rightful place among other Super Heroes in the MCU.
Bob Iger, Chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company said: “Spider-Man is one of Marvel’s great characters, beloved around the world. We’re thrilled to work with Sony Pictures to bring the iconic web-slinger into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which opens up fantastic new opportunities for storytelling and franchise building.”
“We always want to collaborate with the best and most successful filmmakers to grow our franchises and develop our characters. Marvel, Kevin Feige and Amy, who helped orchestrate this deal, are the perfect team to help produce the next chapter of Spider-Man,” said Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. “This is the right decision for the franchise, for our business, for Marvel, and for the fans.”
“Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios share a love for the characters in the Spider-Man universe and have a long, successful history of working together. This new level of collaboration is the perfect way to take Peter Parker’s story into the future,” added Doug Belgrad, president, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group.
“I am thrilled to team with my friends at Sony Pictures along with Amy Pascal to produce the next Spider-Man movie,” said Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. “Amy has been deeply involved in the realization on film of one of the world’s most beloved characters. Marvel’s involvement will hopefully deliver the creative continuity and authenticity that fans demand from the MCU. I am equally excited for the opportunity to have Spider-Man appear in the MCU, something which both we at Marvel, and fans alike, have been looking forward to for years.”
Spider-Man, embraced all over the world, is the most successful franchise in the history of Sony Pictures, with the five films having taken in more than $4 billion worldwide.