‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ — Marvel Studios Has Creative Control, Sony Is Fine With That
Marvel Studios getting access to Spider-Man to use within their Marvel Cinematic Universe was a complete game-changer for the studio, as well as the superhero subgenre as a whole. Spider-Man is easily among the top three most popular and well-known superheroes on the planet and probably sells more merchandise than Superman or Batman. Young Peter Parker now gets to interact with other characters within the MCU and Spidey fans to get see a Spider-Man movie made by Kevin Feige — which means it will probably be better received than any other previous Spider-Man film.
Spider-Man: Homecoming has just begun filming, and there have been several casting announcements made during the last few weeks. But prior to any of this, Sony was still going to move forward with the property after The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Venom, the very popular Spider-Man villain/anti-hero, was going to be getting his own solo film, and still is, if things haven’t changed. Whether or not Marvel Studios is going to be involved in this, or other spin-off projects, is anyone’s guess at the moment.
Peter Parker Is On The Run In New ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ Set Images https://t.co/b5szEybgRn pic.twitter.com/YRm1XwWO6T
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Sony’s Tom Rothman recently sat down with the Hollywood Reporter and discussed the relationship with Marvel Studios and how they are handling the Spider-Man franchise. Rothman confirmed that a “Spidey-verse” is still on the way and there are plans to continue making films with Marvel Studios. Sony has the “ultimate authority” over the Spider-Man films, however Marvel has complete creative freedom to do whatever they want, and this is a compromise Rothman is very happy with.
“It’s been fantastic, our relationship with Marvel. Sony has the ultimate authority. But we have deferred the creative lead to Marvel, because they know what they’re doing. We start shooting the new Spider-Man in Atlanta [in mid-June]. A movie like Spider-Man by Marvel, that’s not inexpensive. But it’s a great investment. Knowing that Marvel has such a clear, creative vision, I sleep very well at night.”
Kevin Feige revealed to Deadline that he was having meetings with Sony’s Amy Pascal and trying to convince her that allowing his team to have creative control over Spider-Man was the way to go. Marvel Studios creatively producing Sony’s Spider-Man: Homecoming — this is what Feige was selling and as it turns out, Pascal took the bait. It may have taken a little while, but eventually, everybody agreed on this deal.
“It stays a Sony character and Sony pays for it and Sony makes the profits from the film and it is marketed and distributed by the entire Sony team,” Feige said.
But there is another Spider-Man movie being made at Sony, one that Marvel Studios doesn’t seem to have any involvement in. The writers and directors of The Lego Movie, Phil Lord and Chris Miller, are helping the studio put together an animated Spider-Man feature, one that is reportedly starring Miles Morales. Bob Persichetti is attached to direct.
SPIDER-MAN Animated Film Won't Feel Like Other Spider-Man Movies According To Writers – https://t.co/ZJN5QfpsBF pic.twitter.com/nOywSlnnER
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This is said to be completely different than any other Spider-Man project and it will have nothing to do with the MCU continuity, existing entirely outside of it.
“Lord and Miller, who did the Lego movies, are doing an animated Spider-Man,” Rothman revealed to THR. “And it has a very breakthrough look to it, and a fantastic story, and it’s independent from our Marvel Spider-Man.”
Phil Lord and Chris Miller recently spoke with IGN, and while they did not reveal very much about the animated project, they did promise that it is going to be a truly unique experience for audiences.
“It is not going to feel like every other Spider-Man movie you’ve seen. It will stand on its own as a unique film-going experience. It’s wonderful and the people that are working on it are geniuses. It is unique… People will love it.”
Spider-Man: Homecoming, directed by Jon Watts, opens in theaters July 7, 2017. Sony’s animated Spider-Man film hits theaters on December 21, 2018.
[Image via Marvel Studios]
