A new rumor has sparked a lot of speculation, suggesting that Sony Pictures might be seriously considering selling the full rights to Spider-Man back to Marvel Studios. The buzz comes after the dismal box office performance of ‘Kraven the Hunter‘.
The SSU has been struggling to make a Spider-Man-centered show without the web-slinger himself. Now, the new rumors are raising questions about the future of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe.
Insider Reports Suggest Sony Is “Seriously Considering” Selling Spider-Man IP To Marvel
Spider-Man, arguably Marvel Comics’ most iconic and beloved superhero, has been a peculiar exception in Marvel Studios. For decades, the web-slinger’s film rights have been under Sony Pictures’ control. This left Marvel unable to incorporate him into the Marvel Cinematic Universe fully.
However, this changed in 2016 with an unprecedented agreement between Sony and Marvel Studios. Under this deal, Sony allowed Spider-Man to join the MCU, kicking off Tom Holland’s tenure as the beloved hero in ‘Captain America: Civil War’ in addition to the solo films.
Moreover, despite the agreement, Sony retained the rights to his rogues’ gallery and supporting characters, leading to the creation of the SSU. This attempt to build a Spider-Man-adjacent cinematic universe without Spider-Man has been riddled with failures. While the Venom trilogy enjoyed financial success, Sony stumbled with ‘Morbius’, ‘Madame Web’, and now ‘Kraven the Hunter’.
As failures mounted, the SSU’s viability seemed increasingly in question. Now, according to insider MTTSH, Sony is “seriously considering” selling the Spider-Man IP back to Marvel Studios. Additionally, if this happens, Marvel would regain full creative control of the characters, paving the way for Spider-Man’s seamless integration into future MCU projects.
‘Kraven The Hunter’s Disastrous Box Office Debut Might’ve Been The Cause
Sony’s latest Spider-Man Universe installment, ‘Kraven the Hunter’, has had a dreadful box office debut. It truly hit rock bottom and cemented its place as the lowest-performing movie in the franchise’s history. Moreover, the film failed to generate excitement among audiences and critics alike.
In case you missed it: Why Sony’s Spider-Man Spinoff Universe Is Awful
For context, even the critically panned ‘Madame Web‘ opened to $15.3 million earlier this year as compared to ‘Kraven the Hunter’s mere $11 million. Additionally, ‘Morbius‘ (which became a meme for its mediocrity) managed $39 million in its opening weekend.
So, the Venom movies remain the SSU’s only success stories. However, they couldn’t even maintain their momentum. ‘Kraven the Hunter’s failure to resonate with audiences marks yet another misstep in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, raising doubts about its sustainability.
