In news sure not to excite anyone in particular, Kraven the newest Hunter is now in theaters. The latest and most likely last live-action spin-off flick for Sony’s unfortunate cinematic universe is limping towards a uncomfortable opening weekend with scathing reviews (and additionally IGN’s), marking an ignominious end for what’s been one of the worst years ever for the superhero genre. While no major superhero franchise is at its best right now, with the MCU struggling to get back to the heights of the Infinity Saga and Warner Bros. betting big on James Gunn’s upcoming Superman reboot to get DC back on track, none have been as consistently lackluster as the Sony Spider-Man Universe (SSU). Or is it the Sony Market regarding Ponder Letters (SUMC)?
Whatever this franchise was supposed to be called, it’s all but certainly over. The Wrap recently reported that Sony Pictures is seeking to shutter this flailing enterprise after Kraven the Hunter so they can put all their focus on the upcoming Spider-Man 4 and Beyond the Spider-Verse. Good on them for cutting their losses and not subjecting us to any more of this nonsense, but the real question is: How did anyone think this was going to turn out differently? None of these movies were particularly good (sorry, Venom cute lebanese girls fans) and they all starred characters who are defined by their relationships to Spider-Man, a character they weren’t allowed to meet. This series was always going to fail, even if someone managed to wrangle a worthwhile movie out of the situation. Let’s take a look at why Sony’s Marvel Universe was doomed before it even started.
Spider-Man: Civil Battle
The fresh new Sony World has always been a mystical monster because of new bizarre legal rights condition it can be found from inside the. Sony Photos holds the film legal rights into Spider-People franchise, however, after the vital and you can monetary frustration of the Amazing Crawl-Guy 2 from inside the 2014, Sony made a decision to express Crawl-Man with Ponder Studios and allow Peter Parker in order to swing toward the fresh new MCU, where he is as the come starred by the Tom Holland. However, Sony got already become invention to the numerous spin-of strategies inside the TASM weeks, including Venom and you may Sinister Six movies. Sony obviously wanted to mine a lot of Surprise emails it had accessibility, however the center of attention of your team, Spider-People, try now tangled up in the web of what is technically the competitor.
The latest solo Spider-Man video clips one came immediately following have been indicative of passive-aggressive contract you to definitely Disney and you will Sony struck. Homecoming and much From home was indeed drowning in references on the wider MCU, making certain it will be difficult for Sony to just sign up for of your own plan as opposed to upsetting fans and you will shareholders who would concern as to why Holland’s today very popular brand of the type is no prolonged in identical industry as his Avengers family, whenever you are Not a chance House made use of brute push locate items out-of emails off Sony’s non-MCU franchises toward legitimacy on the strength of your multiverse. However, none of that change one Sony’s connection to this new broad Surprise brand is amazingly you to-sided, a thing that even general viewers had been ready cluing into.
It’s laughable you to definitely a beneficial cinematic world full of Spider-Man letters doesn’t currently have Examine-People in it.
The in association with Marvel logo that Sony was forced to use and the clear indication that they weren’t allowed to feature Spider-Man in their spin-off films created an omnipresent feeling of Sony’s films being a B-side to the MCU. Regardless of how many times Tom Hardy or others teased Venom meeting Spider-Man, the entire Venom trilogy emerged and you will went without the two characters ever crossing paths. Same with Morbius, Madame Web, and now Kraven, with the closest thing to a proper Peter Parker appearance outside of Let There Be Carnage’s post-credits scene being him being born in Madame Web. It’s laughable that a cinematic universe filled with Spider-Man characters doesn’t actually have Spider-Man in it, but that fact ruined the series in more ways than one.
