Sony Pictures spent a lot of money on The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and while they expected a $1 billion hit, the sequel fell way below expectations thanks to middling reviews and a mostly negative response from fans. The studio hoped to launch Venom, Sinister Six, and at least two more follow-ups, but realizing they were handling the wall-crawler all wrong, Sony decided to team up with Marvel Studios for Spider-Man: Homecoming.
The reboot places Peter Parker firmly within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but with Venom now in the works and a movie revolving around Black Cat and Silver Sable in the early stage of development, it’s clear Sony hasn’t forgotten their plans for a wider Spider-Man Universe. However, as those aren’t expected to be set in the MCU, it’s looking like the iconic superhero won’t be part of them, which is a strange and confusing move.
Talking at CinemaCon yesterday, Spider-Man: Homecoming star Tom Holland weighed in on the spinoffs and confirmed that he’s heard nothing about them yet.
“I have no idea. I haven’t read a script. I haven’t seen any sort of concept art, so that would be something I would decide on when I see material.”
This is concerning for a number of reasons. While it’s still early days for both movies, you’d think Sony would have moved to sign Holland up for them, but seeing as Marvel Studios aren’t involved in any way, them not being set in the MCU appears to be a given and potentially leaves some of the hero’s best supporting characters out in the cold and within a world of their own. Sure, Spidey could be still referenced, but this isn’t how fans want to see his world handled.
Sony could surprise us, of course, but for now, it doesn’t seem like Spider-Man is going to be having much to do with Venom, Black Cat or Silver Sable.
