LOS ANGELES: Sony and
Marvel/Disney are finally bringing Spider Man and the Avengersback together. The studios announced a deal
late Monday night in which the next installment of Sony's $4 billion Spider Man franchise will be co-produced by Marvel
Studios head Kevin Feige along with Sony's Amy Pascal for a July 28, 2017,
release.
But first, Spidey will
appear in an unspecified Marvel film.
According to the
release, other characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, such as Iron Man,
Thor and Captain America, may also be integrated into future Spider Man movies.
Though the characters
have interacted in Marvel's comic books for decades, they've been segregated in
the movies because of various licensing agreements that predated the explosion
of superhero movies.
“Amy (Pascal) 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,” Feige said in a statement.
Pascal, in the wake of
the Sony hack, recently announced her transition from co-chair of Sony Pictures
Entertainment to the head of a new production venture at the studio.
The Spider-Man pact is a significant partnership between
rival studios Disney, who owns Marvel, and Sony, who holds rights to the
Marvel-created Spider Man character. Sony has launched two franchises on Spider
Man's back, with Sam Raimi's three films starring Tobey Maguire, followed by
Marc Webb's reboot with Andrew Garfield for two films.
Meanwhile, 20th
Century Fox retains rights to the X-Men and the Fantastic Four. Though those
characters are just as important as Spider-Man in the comics, they'll remain
separate in the movies — for now, at least.
Rumours of a
partnership between Disney and Sony over Spider-Man have been circulating for months.
“This is the right decision
for the franchise, for our business, for Marvel, and for the fans,” said Sony
Chairman Michael Lynton.
“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,” Walt Disney Studios Chairman and CEO Bob Iger said in a
statement.
Marvel's meticulously
calibrated schedule has also been altered by the new partnership:
·
Thor: Ragnarok, originally scheduled for July 28, 2017, will hit theaters Nov.
3, 2017.
·
Black Panther will debut on July 6,
2018, back from its Nov. 3, 2017, release;
·
Captain Marvel is set for a Nov. 2, 2018, release
·
Inhumans will now debut in
theaters July 12, 2019.
·
Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 and Avengers: Infinity War Part 2 will still be released on May 4, 2018, and May
3, 2019, respectively.
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