With all of the excitement right now about the solo ‘Spider-Man’ film coming to theaters this July, there is a dark cloud hanging over fans in the fact that there has been a lot of speculation as of late as to how long the Sony/Marvel deal in regards to Spidey is going to last, especially now that Sony is in production on their own animated ‘Spider-Man’ film and supposedly at work making a ‘Venom’ movie.
According to the latest gossip, after the ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ sequel, the deal with Sony is over and Spider-Man’s time in the MCU will come to a close, but fans and it would appear some folks at both studios, seem hopeful that a new deal will be struck before that happens, especially if the films are as lucrative and well-received as Sony, Disney, and Marvel are hoping they will be (and as they already are on track to be). Luckily for us fans hungry for news, the Nerdist got to visit the set of ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ a while back and ask some questions of producers about some of these very questions, as well as some other questions about things like which characters the MCU is allowed to use according to the deal, how much the studios are working together to make the best product possible, and how much Sony is still holding onto for their own comic-book franchises.
While discussing what villains Marvel/Disney is technically allowed to bring to the MCU for Spider-Man to face during an on-set visit, former head of Sony Pictures Entertainment Amy Pascal stated the following to Nerdist:
“ I think that there’s a surprisingly generous and cooperative thing… Nothing precludes anything. The sky is open right now. And I think that if we can keep this goodwill going, I think it’s going to be good for the fans and good for the journalists and the nerds and good for the companies.”
All of which sounds surprisingly optimistic, especially from a former executive, although she may have just been putting a very positive spin on the whole thing. Here’s hoping that enough positive goodwill comes out of ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ that Sony and Marvel (and Disney) will want to continue working together for some time, sharing these characters and letting Spider-Man play in the MCU, because I know for me, like many others, he is my favorite of the Marvel heroes, and having him back among the Avengers and the rest does bring a breath of fresh air into the franchise and makes me very excited for the future.
Do you think there’s a big future for Spidey and the MCU? Or do you think we should enjoy it while it lasts? Share your opinion in the comments below!
‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ Synopsis:
A young Peter Parker/Spider-Man (Tom Holland), who made his sensational debut in Captain America: Civil War, begins to navigate his newfound identity as the web-slinging super hero in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Thrilled by his experience with the Avengers, Peter returns home, where he lives with his Aunt May (Marisa Tomei), under the watchful eye of his new mentor Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.). Peter tries to fall back into his normal daily routine – distracted by thoughts of proving himself to be more than just your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man – but when the Vulture (Michael Keaton) emerges as a new villain, everything that Peter holds most important will be threatened.
