Sony’s Spider-Man Universe is officially ending

Sony's Spider-Man Universe is officially ending

As a lifelong Spider-Man fan and someone who’s seen the highs and lows of the franchise, it’s heartbreaking to witness the downfall of the Sony Pictures Universe of Spider-Man Characters. It feels like we’ve been on this rollercoaster ride for years, with moments of pure joy and excitement followed by disappointing dips.

Continue striving, Miles. As reported by The Wrap, assistance or recuperation for the Sony Pictures Universe of Spider-Man Characters seems elusive, and not even Spidey’s keen senses could restore them.

Over the past weekend, Brazil played host to its Comic-Con Experience (CCXP), and much like previous years, there was a buzzing anticipation that studio presentations would draw crowds of excited fans, eagerly waiting for updates on the upcoming 2025 lineup of comic book movies.

A week before the home release of Kraven the Hunter, Sony Pictures was eagerly anticipating the influx of enthusiasts who appreciated their interpretation of the Marvel universe’s hijacked IP. However, as described by Umberto Gonzalez from an on-site fan, “[The screening] was met with rows of vacant seats. There were few celebrities and not many fans in attendance. Instead of the usual superhero buzz, there was just an eerie quietness.

Ouch.

It appears that the abundance of available roles in the Spider-Man series proved too overwhelming for Sony Pictures, leading them to announce they will no longer develop or produce any spinoffs featuring characters other than Spider-Man himself. This is according to recent reports.

In a different wording: The Sony Spider-Man Universe (SSU) made a brave effort to establish its own standalone entertainment branch, but it struggled over the years, despite the success of the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy. Even the recent introduction of a villains division hasn’t had the impact that the studio anticipated. One might wonder why these intriguing characters didn’t resonate with Marvel fans or what could be considered a ‘curse’ over these movies.

How the Web at Sony Pictures stopped sticking

Sony's Spider-Man Universe is officially ending

The concept for further story development started with “The Amazing Spider-Man 2”. This involved exploring the backstories of characters from Spider-Man’s rogues gallery, starting with Venom. However, this idea quickly disappeared by mid-2014, much like a wisp of wind carrying away a scent. It was suggested that the negative criticisms the movie received may have contributed to its demise. Despite earning $706 million worldwide, the North American box office fell short of covering the estimated $250 million production cost.

Regardless of the cause, the timing seemed notable when in 2015, Sony officially joined forces with Marvel Studios. The press release indicated, “Together, they would embark on a fresh creative path for the wall-crawler.” This concept was realized with a supporting part in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War, paving the way for his solo film in 2017 titled Spider-Man: Homecoming. With an impressive $880 million earnings, Sony Pictures found the momentum to revive the concept of a Spider-Verse that was initially proposed four years prior.

Venom debuted in October 2018, and with Tom Hardy taking on the role of Spider-Man’s arch-nemesis, it became a hit at the box office, selling numerous tickets. The film was a smart investment, earning $856 million worldwide, with $256 million coming from domestic sales. While the initial interest brought people to the theater, the question remained whether the movie would keep them engaged. Two months later, Sony’s animated spin-off, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, was released, but it only grossed $374 million globally, which is a decent start given its budget of $90 million, but not quite on par with typical Spider-Man earnings.

The contrast in earnings sparked discussions and excitement for a span of three years. It’s worth noting that “Venom” drew audiences due to its initial anticipation, while “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” kept them engaged because of its unfolding events. Fans even apologized for their earlier skepticism. The evidence came in June 2023 when Miles Morales’ animated sequel grossed over $681 million. Conversely, “Venom: Let There Be Carnage,” released in October 2021, earned about 41.3% less than the original. Similarly, “Venom 3” earned only 6% more than that globally. Indeed, despite each Venom movie’s individual success, the franchise’s momentum seemed to wane with every subsequent release.

The basis for the SSU lay in a lively portrayal of Spider-Man and his variants, as well as a problematic symbiote who has had issues on screen. These weren’t risks; they were seen as sure things. The plan was to win over audiences with these characters, and the risks would be taken with Morbius and Madame Web. Regrettably, these two disappointments managed a meager $262 million globally. To call them “flops” is being kind; they failed to attract an audience or generate interest in lesser-known characters like Tier 3 or 4 characters.

Kraven likely won’t hunt down profits

Sony's Spider-Man Universe is officially ending

An intriguing tactic: This week marks the debut of “Kraven the Hunter,” and fans are eager to watch it due to an enticing red-band trailer. However, before Aaron Taylor-Johnson can win over the audience, the release date for the film has been abruptly changed, effectively killing the movie’s chances before we get a glimpse of any potential post-credit scene.

Friends at TopMob might not be the sharpest MBA students, but that business plan is terribly weak. Despite numerous delays in releasing the film, Sony Pictures chose to shelve all future projects in a forgotten, dimly lit area. We found information about seven upcoming Spider-Man villain-centric projects that Sony Pictures intended to showcase on screen.

According to the source, they have currently completed what they intended to create. Essentially, their focus is shifting towards the upcoming “Spider-Man” movie.

In fact, Sony Pictures has five exciting projects lined up: a possible trilogy featuring Tom Holland, an intriguing Spider-Noir series starring Nicolas Cage, the concluding animation for Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse expected to surpass $1 billion, and a mathematically sound business strategy. Additionally, there’s some number crunching involved.

Morbius earned $160 million. Madame Web barely broke $100 million. And Kraven the Hunter cost $130 million to make and is now expected to flop. Maybe that writing on the wall (and in business spreadsheets) is just flung batpoo from all the bats Morbius used for his anti-hero serum? Guess we will find out this week.

2024-12-12 21:31

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