Sony Open to Other Spider-Man Characters Appearing in Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies

When it comes to live-action adaptations of comic books, it's not as easy as a studio just picking [...]

When it comes to live-action adaptations of comic books, it's not as easy as a studio just picking whichever characters they'd like to play with, as a number of different studios own rights to specific characters. Sony, for example, owns the rights to much of Spider-Man's roster of characters, though a majority of other Marvel characters belong to Disney. Luckily, the two studios have begun to collaborate, which could result in more Spider-Man characters crossing over into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

According to a new report by Variety, Sony and Marvel Studios have a much more positive relationship currently than they had in previous years, thanks in large part to the deal the studios struck to have Spider-Man appear in Captain America: Civil War and key Marvel figures serving as producers on Spider-Man: Homecoming. The report also noted that this collaborative relationship will continue in future projects, with more MCU characters appearing in Spider-Man films and vice-versa.

In the '90s, Marvel was facing bankruptcy, but ultimately struck deals with movie studios that allowed them to stay afloat while some of their more popular characters became hits at the box office. X-Men debuted in 2000 with 20th Century Fox while Spider-Man landed in 2002, as both films ultimately went on to become hits with audiences and earning multiple sequels.

An initial trilogy of Spider-Man films from director Sam Raimi set the standard for future superhero films with its blend of action, humor, and drama, though the conclusion of the series required a reboot. The Amazing Spider-Man and its sequel found financial success, though both films were narrative misses.

Rather than continue to deliver audiences unexceptional films merely to retain the rights to the character and take in some money at the box office, Sony collaborated with Marvel Studios and its burgeoning shared universe and found a compromise that resulted in massive success for both studios.

There are still many legal restrictions for both studios, such as the upcoming Venom being in the same world as Spider-Man: Homecoming, yet not in the same narrative as the MCU. This means Tom Holland could potentially appear in a Marvel film produced by Sony but that Captain America wouldn't ever drop by. However, as noted by Variety, these agreements and restrictions that are currently in place could, at some point, see modifications that allow more crossovers to occur that would be in the best interests of both studios.

Venom lands in theaters on October 5th. Spider-Man: Far From Home hits theaters on July 5, 2019.

Do you hope to see more crossovers between the two studios in the future? Let us know in the comments below!

[H/T Variety]

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