Spider-Man’s appearance alongside his fellow Avengers is no longer restricted to LEGO movies as a big Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 3 shakeup has occurred. It is now official that Spider-Man will be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe and MCU superheroes are cleared to appear in the next new Spider-Man standalone film, which has already been dated.
Per the official announcement at Marvel.com, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Marvel Studios have struck a deal that will allow the two studios to co-produce new Spider-Man adventures with Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige producing alongside Sony’s Amy Pascal, who recently stepped down as CEO of Sony Pictures to tackle a new production deal at the studio.
It’s important to understand that Sony Pictures still controls the Spider-Man property on the big screen — not Marvel. All this deal does is ensure that Spider-Man and cross-pollinate with the rest of Marvel and vice versa. Pascal, who was behind both The Amazing Spider-Man films, will now be co-piloting the new Spider-Man film with Feige. Fans should end up the ultimate winners if Pascal is willing to listen to Feige and let him steer the creative ship.
Speaking of The Amazing Spider-Man, that franchise now appears to be canned. Marvel was explicit in its press release wording by using the term, “the new Spider-Man,” which infers that Andrew Garfield is out and a new actor is about to score the role of their lifetime.
The first new Spider-Man standalone film is already dated for July 28, 2017 and is now a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Phase 3. That was previously the slot for Thor: Ragnarok, meaning Thor’s third adventure will slide back six months — as will The Inhumans and Avengers: Infinity War Parts 1 and 2. Expect Marvel to release a new release date schedule for Phase 3 in the near future.
Though Spidey’s first standalone film in the Marvel universe is still over two years away, we’ll be seeing your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man on the big screen before them. Spider-Man will make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in Captain America: Civil War on May 6, 2016. Expect the new webslinger to be cast within the next few months, if he hasn’t been cast already.
There’s still a lot of uncertainty about how Marvel and Sony will handle now the third big screen iteration of Spider-Man considering The Amazing Spider-Man is still fresh on people’s minds. Will the origin story be bypassed altogether, or will it be retold in 2017? Will Peter Parker be introduced in Captain America 3 pre or post-Spider-Man? Where will the standalone film pick up in the Spider-Man timeline?
Said Bob Iger, Chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company: “Spider-Man is one of Marvel’s great characters, beloved around the world. We’re thrilled to work with Sony Pictures to bring the iconic web-slinger into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which opens up fantastic new opportunities for storytelling and franchise building.”
Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment, added this about the new deal: “We always want to collaborate with the best and most successful filmmakers to grow our franchises and develop our characters. Marvel, Kevin Feige and Amy, who helped orchestrate this deal, are the perfect team to help produce the next chapter of Spider-Man,. This is the right decision for the franchise, for our business, for Marvel and for the fans.”
“I am thrilled to team with my friends at Sony Pictures along with Amy Pascal to produce the next Spider-Man movie,” Feige said in the press releases. “Amy has been deeply involved in the realization on film of one of the world’s most beloved characters. Marvel’s involvement will hopefully deliver the creative continuity and authenticity that fans demand from the MCU. I am equally excited for the opportunity to have Spider-Man appear in the MCU, something which both we at Marvel and fans alike have been looking forward to for years.”
To recap:
- Spider-Man is being recast and rebooted — again. Goodbye, Andrew Garfield and Marc Webb.
- Spider-Man is now part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
- The new Spider-Man will debut in Captain America: Civil War.
- The new Spider-Man will get a standalone movie on July 28, 2017.
- MCU characters can appear in the new Spider-Man standalone movie.
- The new Spider-Man standalone movie is being co-produced by Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal.
- Several Marvel Phase 3 Cinematic Universe films will be shifted back to make room for Spider-Man.
- We don’t know if the Spider-Man origin story will be retold again, or if Spidey is already at work when we meet him.
Source: Marvel.com
