Sony and Marvel’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home” was a runaway success for both studios on all fronts. It was 2021’s highest-grossing film and the sixth highest-grossing movie of all time, taking in $1.901 billion at the global box office. And critics loved it, too, praising its emotional stakes and how it handled all of its multiversal elements. So, of course, both studios want to capitalize on the film’s success, as studios do. But from the sounds of things, Marvel head Kevin Feige doesn’t want the success of “No Way Home” to get to Sony’s head.
The Ankler reports Feige weighs in on Sony’s non-Spider-Man Marvel movies but also gives the studio advice on their franchise moving forward. To quote the publication, “an insider credits Feige for guiding Sony’s approach and warning the studio not to get too ahead of itself in terms of building some larger universe in the vein of the “Avengers” movies.” Now, if true, on one level, this is a smart move by Sony. Over the past 15 years, Feige has built an empire with the MCU, so he’s the guy whose notes you want on how to build a cinematic universe. But on another level, this is low-key hilarious because this means that Feige indirectly endorsed Sony making “Morbius,” and let’s face it: that movie is an atrocity.
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And of course, there’s also the irony of Feige warning Sony not to get too ahead of themselves in building a cinematic universe. Is it just this writer, or did the MCU get too bloated and jump the shark, like, four or five films/shows ago? But “Morbius” aside, Feige’s input on future “Spider-Man” vehicles from Sony, whether they star the superhero or not, is promising for the films fans know are already on the way. In this case, that’d be “Kraven The Hunter” and “Madame Web.” Unfortunately, little is known about those two films except for cast lists, directors, and release dates. But if Feige indeed weighs in on those films, then Spidey fans may expect either won’t end up like “Morbius.”
Based on what fans do know about both films, Sony’s expanding Spidey-Verse may have a bright future. J.C. Chandor directs “Kraven The Hunter,” with Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the role of the big game hunter. Ariana DeBose stars as Calypso, a voodoo preist and Kraven’s love interest, while Christopher Abbott and Alessandro Nivola play the main villains. Russell Crowe, Fred Hechinger, and Levi Miller are also on board in undisclosed roles. The movie currently has a January 13, 2013 theatrical release date.
But “Madame Web” is the bigger mystery between the two films. In the comics, the titular character is a paralyzed, bed-ridden older woman with psychic powers. That description doesn’t exactly scream superhero movie. Still, the movie’s cast list is intruiging. Dakota Johnson leads an ensemble cast that includes Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O’Connor, Isabela Merced, Emma Roberts, and Tahar Rahim. “Jessica Jones” director S.J. Clarkson directs the film with a tentative release date of July 7, 2023. However, Burk Sharpless & Matt Sazama, the writing team behind “Morbius,” are on board to write the film’s script. So, maybe be a little warier of this movie than “Kraven The Hunter.”
Of course, other movies are part of Sony’s Spider-Verse, too, like the two “Venom” movies with Tom Hardy. And there’s also the just-announced “El Muerto” movie that stars rapper Bad Bunny as the undead superpowered wrestler. “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” made $350 million less than its 2018 predecessor, but it did have the biggest opening week during the COVID pandemic. So, it’s safe to say Sony probably has another “Venom” movie in mind, too. And let’s not forget “Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse,” which was such a big hit it has two sequels coming in 2023 and 2024.
With Feige’s notes, maybe Sony will avoid further pitfalls like “Morbius” and creates a cinematic universe in Marvel’s image. Or perhaps Sony doesn’t want to follow the MCU model, as the formula for those movies has grown stale since Phase 3 ended with “Avengers: Endgame.” Whatever the case, Sony reportedly takes Feige’s input seriously, and he wants to make sure their plans for the future of Spider-Man make sense. And with a potential new trilogy with Tom Holland reprising his role as Peter Parker, it’s clear why Feige has such an investment in Sony’s Spider-Man venture. “No Way Home” made a lot of money, and both Marvel and Sony want to take advantage of that as best as they can.