Sony’s Spider-Man Universe Was Doomed To Fail

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As a long-time comic book enthusiast and moviegoer, I must say that the Sony Spider-Man Universe (SSU) has left me feeling a bit like a kid who was given a box full of toys but no instructions on how to put them together.

It seems that Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, also known as the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters, is facing a significant setback as Kraven the Hunter receives negative feedback from both critics and audiences. This has led to speculation that the Sony Spider-Man Universe might have met its end. Let’s explore what went wrong for the Sony Spider-Man Universe, starting with Venom and culminating in the release of J. C. Chandor’s Kraven the Hunter.

Mentioning Kraven the Hunter generated much anticipation due to being Sony’s Studio Universe (SSU) first R-rated film. However, despite Deadpool and Wolverine from the Marvel Cinematic Universe breaking records to become the highest-grossing R-rated movies ever, Chandor’s comic book adventure opened at a box office of only $11 million. Despite Sony having three Venom films (Morbius, Madame Web, and Kraven) in production, it appears they are currently halting work on all upcoming projects.

The SSU has Always Struggled

Following Topher Grace’s portrayal of Venom in Sam Raimi’s action-packed Spider-Man 3, there was much anticipation when Tom Hardy was chosen to play Eddie Brock/Venom for a grittier interpretation of the carnivorous villain. Fans were eagerly expecting Hardy to headline an antihero-focused SSU, as the Marvel Cinematic Universe was hesitant about venturing into R-rated territory. However, it was only Kraven the Hunter that managed to secure the elusive rating.

Without delving into R-rated films, there was uncertainty about where the Spider-Saga Universe (SSU) fit within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The conflicting Sony Pictures University of California (SPUMC) classification and differing opinions from Amy Pascal of Sony and Kevin Feige, the MCU’s overseer, created a debate over whether the SSU was part of the MCU. During the dispute over Spider-Man rights in 2019, there was a possibility that the Spider-Man films would need to separate from the MCU, potentially isolating Tom Holland’s Spider-Man from Iron Man and other Avengers. However, with a rich library of Spider-Man villains and an increasing number of ‘Venomverse’ movies, there was a significant opportunity for expansion.

In contrast, the films from SSU were mainly outshone by anticipation that Holland would eventually make an appearance (which didn’t happen). Even before Ruben Fleischer’s Venom was released in 2018, there were whispers of a possible Holland cameo. Unverified sources claim that Holland filmed a cameo for the movie, but it was later removed at Marvel Studios’ behest. Despite this, with each new release of Venom, fans held onto hopes for a crossover. As recently as 2024, rumors of Venom: The Last Dance reshoots had viewers still dreaming about a cameo from Peter Parker.

Behind the scenes, there were signs of problems, as Sony was compelled to use an “in collaboration with Marvel” label on their SSU films. It seemed that the studio was excluded from the MCU, particularly evident in Venom: The Last Dance appearing to lack a Spider-Man cameo. If Spider-Man didn’t appear in the final installment of a trilogy, it suggested he wouldn’t have been there at all. What made things even more disappointing was the missed opportunity for various Spider-Man references, as hints in Morbius pointed towards it being set in the same universe as Andrew Garfield’s Amazing Spider-Man films. This could have leveraged his popularity and capitalized on the unfortunate cancellation of The Amazing Spider-Man 3.

Instead, the Spider-Man Universe (SSU) struggled to pick up pace, delivering lackluster performances that didn’t ignite the box office. While Venom managed a worldwide gross of $856 million on a budget of approximately $116 million, the profits became more strained as Madame Web earned $100.5 million against an estimated production cost of $80 million. Even Venom: The Last Dance’s $472.9 million is significantly lower than the initial success. Moreover, not a single film in the SSU has ever received a rating higher than “rotten” on Rotten Tomatoes. With Kraven facing numerous setbacks and rumors of extensive revisions, it’s anticipated that this could mark the end of the Spider-Man Universe.

Is Kraven the Hunter the end of the SSU?

As of now, it appears that the Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU) is in a stagnant state, according to The Wrap. This is due to the underwhelming finale of ‘Kraven the Hunter’, which unfortunately did not include any post-credit scenes or significant connections to the larger universe. A source close to Sony allegedly shared this information with the site.

It appears that the main problem with Sony’s Spider-Man spinoffs lies in their lack of quality assurance. These films simply aren’t up to par. Occasionally, this poor quality coincides with a film that nobody was eagerly anticipating, such as ‘Madame Web,’ which is a losing situation. Perhaps it’s time for Sony to focus on developing new intellectual properties to launch fresh franchises instead.

Currently, Sony plans to redirect its attention towards Daniel Destin Cretton’s upcoming Spider-Man 4, the postponed animated film titled Beyond the Spider-Verse, and the live-action version of Spider-Man Noir featuring Nicolas Cage.

The progress on the film “El Muerto,” led by Donald Glover’s Hypno-Hustler, has been rather stagnant following Bad Bunny’s departure, and it appears that the solo movies for Black Cat and Silver Sable have been put on hold indefinitely. This also implies that the highly anticipated “Sinister Six” movie may not materialize. As a result, storylines like Michael Keaton’s Vulture from “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and Jared Leto’s Morbius remain stranded in the same universe, creating quite a few unresolved plots. Despite its flaws, “Morbius” managed to bring fans closer to a shared universe.

In contrast to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) gradually expanding through its Phase One films, leading up to The Avengers, the Sony Spider-Man Universe (SSU) introduced multiple characters and projects all at once without creating a cohesive connection between them. While there were promises of a unified universe, most movies seemed more like individual stories rather than interconnected tales.

Hardy expresses his enthusiasm for potential battles against Holland in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and there’s still hope for Venom’s role in the upcoming “Avengers: Secret Wars.” Currently, the Sony Spider-Man Universe (SSU) faces accusations of misusing funds and viewers’ patience. It’s evident that not every extended universe can thrive like the MCU, as examples like Universal’s Dark Universe and Warner Bros.’ DCEU demonstrate. The SSU also struggled to find significance, though it remains debatable whether having Holland, Garfield, Maguire, or a new Spider-Man would have made a difference. In the end, calling it the Sony Spider-Man Universe without Tom Holland feels unusual.

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2024-12-19 04:05