Sony's Spider-Man Universe

[SHIELD Agent 47]

I guess this...film series thingy can get a thread of its own, even when I'm not sure if Tom Holland's Spider-Man himself is ever going to show up.

Venom - came out 5 October 2018
Venom: Let There Be Carnage - came out 1 October 2021
Morbius - scheduled for 1 April 2022
Kraven the Hunter - scheduled for 13 January 2023

In recent news, Sydney Sweeney was announced to have joined the Madame Web film, whose title character is being portrayed by Dakota Johnson.

‘Madame Web’: Dakota Johnson Tapped To Play First Female Superhero Star In Sony Pictures’ Universe Of Marvel Characters

Dakota Johnson has been tapped to star in the studio's Madame Web movie. S.J. Clarkson is on board to direct the pic.

deadline.com

‘Euphoria’s Sydney Sweeney To Co-Star Opposite Dakota Johnson In Sony’s Marvel Pic ‘Madame Web’

Sweeney has joined Dakota Johnson in Sony Pictures’ Madame Web. S.J. Clarkson is on board to direct the pic.

deadline.com

 

[TM2-Megatron]

Though I find the Venom films fun enough on their own, this whole thing kind of reeks of desperation on Sony's part. It's not like they're the only film studio who've repeatedly tried to duplicate the MCU's success over the past decade, though, so I guess I can't blame them for going all out with it now that the whole Multiverse concept is going mainstream and kinda-but-not-really blurring the line between their films and Marvel's.

I can't say I have much interest in Morbius, though. I know nothing at all about this character, so I'll likely wait for some reviews before deciding to see it for myself. All I know about Kraven the Hunter and Madame Web are from the 90s Spider-Man cartoon, so it's hard for me to envision them leading a film.

 

[Sabrblade]

Is Andrew Garfield still rumored to come back and be this universe's Spider-Man?

 

[PiratedTVPro]

Is Andrew Garfield still rumored to come back and be this universe's Spider-Man?

There were rumors he was edited into Morbius. As of yesterday he's not there.

 

[Shadewing]

Though I find the Venom films fun enough on their own, this whole thing kind of reeks of desperation on Sony's part. It's not like they're the only film studio who've repeatedly tried to duplicate the MCU's success over the past decade, though, so I guess I can't blame them for going all out with it now that the whole Multiverse concept is going mainstream and kinda-but-not-really blurring the line between their films and Marvel's.

I can't say I have much interest in Morbius, though. I know nothing at all about this character, so I'll likely wait for some reviews before deciding to see it for myself. All I know about Kraven the Hunter and Madame Web are from the 90s Spider-Man cartoon, so it's hard for me to envision them leading a film.

I think using Morbius is, at least on paper, a brilliant move. He's another enemy turned Ally, Like Venom but also follows in Marvel's steps of taking obscure characters like the GOTG or Moon Knight and gambling on them also being successful. That said, even in the Comics Morbius is... not a character that gets much love or attention, I mean the last time he got anything outside of the comics was in the 90's cartoon; so its hard to say how well this movie will go.

Kraven The Hunter has a chance of being really interesting, becuase there is a lot of interesting lore with him, some of which they are taking advantage of such as him being related to The Chameleon.

Madam Web... This is the one I have reservations about, as it seems like they are trying to make her their Doctor Strange, and if they stick more to the 90's cartoon portrayal (Not outta the question as there is a lot in the movies that take from it)... that might work. Might. She could potentially be a very important character in Sony's Spider-verse; but its the movie I have the least faith in.

What I really want though is a Black Cat movie, She could easily hold down a movie franchise I think; and like Kraven there is a lot of interesting lore and stories with her. It just feels like Sony and Marvel are avoiding her becuase of Catwoman.

 

[LBD "Nytetrayn"]

Madam Web... This is the one I have reservations about, as it seems like they are trying to make her their Doctor Strange, and if they stick more to the 90's cartoon portrayal (Not outta the question as there is a lot in the movies that take from it)... that might work. Might. She could potentially be a very important character in Sony's Spider-verse; but its the movie I have the least faith in.

My memories of Madam Web are almost, if not entirely, all from the '90s cartoon.

And I don't remember her ever leaving that chair.

Suffice to say, that makes me feel like concessions would be needed to make an interesting movie starring her in the title role.

Unless, like, they Legend of Zelda that noise, that is.

 

[Shadewing]

My memories of Madam Web are almost, if not entirely, all from the '90s cartoon.

And I don't remember her ever leaving that chair.

Suffice to say, that makes me feel like concessions would be needed to make an interesting movie starring her in the title role.

Unless, like, they Legend of Zelda that noise, that is.

Yeah, partly because she has a condition known as Myasthenia gravis; which basically means that she's generally too weak to move about without aid; but in exchange she's a powerful clairvoyant and psychic. Though her iconic chair was also a life support machine due to her advanced age. I doubt Sony is gonna make her that old, so it might be feasible to get around that chair somewhat with a younger Webb; but unless they completely change or disregard it they're still gonna have some concessions...

Which honestly COULD be a good thing, because we don't have very many handicapped superheroes in media. A superhero movie where the hero is a female in a wheelchair? That would at the very least get people's attention.

 

[Cradok]

Maybe they're skipping Cassandra Webb altogether and going with Julia Carpenter? Dakota Johnson seems like a better fit for Julia.

 

[LBD "Nytetrayn"]

Yeah, partly because she has a condition known as Myasthenia gravis; which basically means that she's generally too weak to move about without aid; but in exchange she's a powerful clairvoyant and psychic. Though her iconic chair was also a life support machine due to her advanced age. I doubt Sony is gonna make her that old, so it might be feasible to get around that chair somewhat with a younger Webb; but unless they completely change or disregard it they're still gonna have some concessions...

Which honestly COULD be a good thing, because we don't have very many handicapped superheroes in media. A superhero movie where the hero is a female in a wheelchair? That would at the very least get people's attention.

Okay, I have to admit, coming at it from that direction makes me interested in her doing stuff from the chair.

I mean, I have no problems with her being in the chair. But I think that would be a challenge to make a superhero movie around, which begs the question of whether whoever makes it is up to that challenge.

 

[PiratedTVPro]

You guys act like SONY cares about any of the comic continuity and not about using licensed names and rights to make as much money as possible.

 

[LBD "Nytetrayn"]

You guys act like SONY cares about any of the comic continuity and not about using licensed names and rights to make as much money as possible.

I'm not. I'm just trying to figure out what they plan to do with this, and how much I care beyond the fun of speculating on an internet message board.

 

[PiratedTVPro]

I'm not. I'm just trying to figure out what they plan to do with this, and how much I care beyond the fun of speculating on an internet message board.

You shouldn't care or expect any plan, at all. For a myriad of reasons, chief amongst them making Sony Picture's limited successes much more enjoyable. Sony - in their leaked emails and even more recently in the marketing of Morbius - showed they have zero respect for fans. Any sucess Spider-Man has had has come despite Sony Pictures, Amy Pascal and Avi Arad, not because of it.

The best thing I can say about Sony's current leadership is that they're locking down profitable revenue streams. They see the $$$ that Spider-Verse and ab MCU Spider-Man - and recently Ghostbusters & Jumanji - made and they're willing to spend money to keep those steams profitable. Sony Pictures thinks that there's even more money to mine in that well and that we don't care about the quality or story behind it. We need to show them that we do, and won't accept a C-quality product.

 

[LBD "Nytetrayn"]

I feel like you're attributing a greater level of "caring" to me than is actually there.

I'm curious, for whatever that entails. I'm mildly curious about the Venom movies, too, but have not seen either one yet, and they're not really on my to-do list, even as much as I generally do like Venom.

 

[Echowarrior]

I think that if Sony wants to develop the Spider-Man stuff they have, they need to do so with more input from Marvel. Piggybacking off their success isn't enough - they need to do what Marvel's been doing and tell good, consistent stories, which they've had some trouble with here and there.

Granted, I haven't seen either Venom film or Morbius, but what I'm hearing about the latter isn't filling me with confidence. Into the Spider-Verse was excellent, no question, but I suspect the animation division is being run differently from the rest of the company.

 

[Caldwin]

Hot take:

I actually l kinda prefer the Sony movies if only because 3 movies in we finally get a Spider-Man movie that's not actually all about Tony Stark. And go figure, it's the movie that was joint made with Sony.

 

[Sabrblade]

All three Spider-Man "Home" movies were Sony/Marvel Studios co-productions.

 

[Caldwin]

Yeah...well... I reject your reality and replace it with my own.

 

[MrBlud]

The next one won’t be about Tony Stark but the plot of No Way Home wouldn’t have worked without him.

 

[LBD "Nytetrayn"]

I like that they did something different.

Mind, I'm particularly happy that they waited for the third set of movies in ~15 years to do it -- that would not have flown the first time out, to be sure.

 

[lastmaximal]

Yeah, I don't mind the MCU Spidey movies. They do lean a bit more heavily on the MCU lore overall than I'd like, but in doing so they also end up acknowledging/responding to that larger narrative flow better than most of the other MCU movies, so that's a decent tradeoff.

And honestly I've not lacked for Peter Parker characterization and development throughout these, so that's a success overall too.

Plus now they've written a way out of that with NWH (time will tell if they pursue it), and we've gotten the best of both worlds -- an MCU-informed take on Spidey that's given way to a more traditional personal tragedy-informed and growing Spidey, who is now in a position to strike out on his own without needing to incorporate those MCU trappings.

Plus, I guess, for all the things that I might want to change, there's still WAY more thought and follow-through that goes into these than we've seen from the post-Raimi Sony stuff (obviously not counting ITSV), especially the Spideyless Villainverse of the last few years.