In happy news for long-frustrated fans of a certain web-slinging superhero, Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group President Sanford Panitch has confirmed that there is “a plan” to connect Spider-Man to Sony’s emerging franchise of Marvel spin-off films.
Since 2016’s ‘Captain America: Civil War’, Marvel Studios has used Peter Parker/Spider-Man (played by Tom Holland) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as part of an unprecedented deal with Sony (the current owners of the character’s movie rights). The two studios have so far also co-produced Spidey’s solo MCU films: ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’, ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ and the upcoming ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’.
Sony also has had plans to begin its own franchise of live-action Marvel spin-off films centred around Spider-Man’s vast rogues gallery. This franchise began in 2018 with ‘Venom’, and is slated to continue with ‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’, ‘Morbius’ and a film starring Kraven the Hunter, which has just cast Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the lead role.
“We don’t really think of our 900 characters as the Spidey-verse,” Panitch said in an interview with Variety. “We have a Marvel universe. The volume of characters we have — you know, wait until you see this next ‘Venom’. You don’t miss Spider-Man.”
He paused for a beat and then added, “It’ll be exciting if they do meet, right?”
Panitch continued that he’s confident that the latest ‘Kraven’ project will lead to a more fruitful relationship between the two studios. “There actually is a plan,” he said. “I think now maybe it’s getting a little more clear for people where we’re headed and I think when ‘No Way Home’ comes out, even more will be revealed.”
Marvel Studios’ upcoming film ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ makes no secret that the film, expected to explore the multiverse, will feature a number of returning faces from Spider-Man’s cinematic past, including those who previously appeared in Sony films, which featured Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield in the lead roles.
‘Spider-Man 2’ star Alfred Molina has already confirmed his return as Doctor Octopus, whereas ‘No Way Home’s’ main villain is rumoured to be Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin from Sony’s first Spider-Man movie. They wouldn’t be the first Spider-Man stars from the Sony era to make the jump to the MCU, with JK Simmons having reprised his role as J. Jonah Jameson in ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’.
“The great thing is we have this very excellent relationship with [Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige],” Panitch further explained. “There’s an incredible sandbox there to play with. We want those MCU movies to be absolutely huge, because that’s great for us and our Marvel characters, and I think that’s the same thing on their side. But we have a great relationship. There’s lots of opportunities, I think, that are going to happen.”
