Sony’s Failed ‘Spider-Man’ Extended Universe Getting Rebooted – But Who Was Asking for It?
The “Spider-Man” movie universes have had fair share of reboots. After the successful Sam Raimi films of the 2000’s, the universe rebooted in 2012, then it rebooted again for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In addition, there has been the animated “Spider-Verse” film series, along with various spin-off films in Sony’s extended universe. So, what do you say to the extended universe getting rebooted?
Yes, We’re Getting Another “Spider-Man” Reboot – But Not for the Web-Slinger Himself
While the Marvel Cinematic Universe is alive and well, the non-MCU “Spider-Man” extended universe films from Sony haven’t done so well recently. There have been a series of spin-off films that take place in the “Spider-Man” universe such as “Madame Web” and “Morbius.” Many of these movies were infamous among both critics and audiences, with the exception of the “Venom” films.
So, what’s the status for Sony’s universe right now? Well, on an episode of “The Town” podcast, Sony CEO Tom Rothman was asked about the status of the Sony extended films. He confirmed that the live-action Sony films will be getting a “fresh reboot” with “new people,” though he didn’t discuss any details, though he did say that “you got to make the audience miss you,” which could indicate that the reboot won’t be coming for a while. After “Madame Web,” “Morbius,” and “Kraven the Hunter” disappointed both at the box office and with critical reception, Sony is starting over with the extended universe.
Of course, one has to wonder how big the audience’s demand is for “Spider-Man” movies that don’t star the web-slinger himself. While Sony currently has the movie rights to the franchise, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has the rights to include Peter Parker and other “Spider-Man” characters in live-action movies, which leaves Sony in a difficult situation. Perhaps Sony and Marvel could negotiate for Sony to make a live-action movie starring the Miles Morales version of Spider-Man.
“No Way Home” Banned In China
Rothman also confirmed another interesting tidbit, stating that the most recent MCU “Spider-Man” film, “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” was banned in China because the movie’s climax takes place at the Statue of Liberty. While the Chinese Film Administration offered to allow the film in China if the Statue of Liberty was cut out, Rothman declined. He stated on podcast, “I really didn’t look forward to sitting in front of Congress, telling them why I cut the Statue of Liberty out at the request of the Chinese Communist Party.”
“No Way Home” featured the three live-action Peter Parkers – Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland – all meeting thanks to universes clashing. The film opened the door for future multiverse shenanigans in the live-action universes (the animated “Spider-Verse” films have been tackling multiple dimensions from the beginning). Will we ever see “Madame Web” or “Morbius” clash with the Marvel Cinematic Universe? It’s not likely, seeing as how those films flopped, but perhaps Sony’s “Venom” trilogy could cross with the MCU at some point. Whenever the extended universe reboot happens, perhaps it will also cross with the MCU.
What is the Next “Spider-Man” Film?
“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” comes to theaters on July 31st. It will continue the saga of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Peter Parker, played by Tom Holland. It will also include Mark Ruffalo reprising his MCU role as Bruce Banner, better known as The Incredible Hulk, so perhaps Spider-Man and the Hulk will be teaming up. In any case, the film is basically guaranteed to be a hit like the previous films. However, Sony’s extended universe reboot is a riskier gamble. Do audiences really care about “Spider-Man” movies without Spider-Man?
