Is Sony’s Spider-Man Universe and the Marvel Cinematic Universe merging? If we believe the reports, it’s happening a lot sooner than most of us thought.
According to recent reports, Tom Holland’s return as Spider-Man in a fourthquel may be the turning point where these two cinematic realms finally converge in a meaningful way. This potential merger, as indicated by the industry insider, Daniel Richtman, could reshape the landscape of superhero films and how these iconic characters interact on the big screen.
The journey of Spider-Man in the MCU began in 2015 when Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios struck a groundbreaking deal, allowing Peter Parker to swing in with the rest of the Avengers in Captain America: Civil War. This collaboration led to the integration of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man into the multi-billion-dollar universe with major roles and appearances in key titles like Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. However, this partnership wasn’t without its challenges. During the production of Spider-Man: Far From Home, Sony contemplated reclaiming full control of the character but a lot of money was thrown at Sony’s way, ensuring Spider-Man’s continued presence in the MCU, which brings us the topic at hand.
The SUMC and MCU will reportedly merge in ‘SPIDER-MAN 4’ starring Tom Holland.
(via @DanielRPK) pic.twitter.com/hV5pJU4hjh
— Cosmic Marvel (@cosmic_marvel) November 17, 2023
As per Richtman’s reports, Spider-Man 4 will deepen the connections with the SSU, suggesting a path towards a merger of the two universes. The nature of this integration remains a topic of speculation. Will Holland’s Peter Parker swing into the world of Venom and Morbius, or will the SSU’s characters join Earth 616 and align with the narrative trajectory of a film like Avengers: Secret Wars? The implications of such a move are vast, potentially allowing for a seamless narrative across multiple properties and opening the door for more intricate storytelling.
This development comes amidst a backdrop of other Marvel projects outside of James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3and Loki Season 2 failing to gain any significant traction.
Despite the excitement surrounding the potential crossover, there are legitimate concerns. Some worry that the perfect ending of Spider-Man: No Way Home could be undermined by premature crossovers. The film concluded with Spider-Man embracing his essence as the friendly neighborhood hero. This is a narrative arc that the MCU should explore further before talking about grand-scale mergers. Additionally, the involvement of multiple studios and the complexity of merging these worlds could lead to storytelling challenges. Given that the MCU doesn’t have the best equity among audiences these days, much more so the SSU, this risks too much all at once.
Sony’s SSU has had a mixed track record, with successes such as Venom and its sequel, Venom 2, and less well-received projects like Morbius. A merger with the MCU could provide a fresh narrative impetus, but it also risks diluting qualities that each universe brings to the table. Marvel Studios, despite some recent criticisms, continues to produce compelling content, as evidenced by the success of Loki Season 2, which may or may not be Tom Hiddleston’s last appearance as a franchise regular. The inclusion of established Sony characters could offer new creative possibilities, but it also requires a careful balancing act to maintain the integrity of both universes.
Of course, Spider-Man 4 is still ways away. It’s confirmed, but it doesn’t have a release date yet. It might not even come out as part of the Multiverse Saga, which the MCU is reportedly trying to pivot itself out of with the help of Mads Mikkelsen, Pedro Pascal, and, what many believe is an “evil” version of Reed Richards.
With the SSU still planning to release a handful of upcoming films, including Venom 3 and Madame Web, there’s still a lot of time to lay a solid foundation that eventually sees both cinematic universes coalesce in a not-so-destructive way.
The way that we see it, the MCU could position Knull as the big bad of the next saga, which would give Tom Holland’s Spider-Man and Tom Hardy’s Venom, as well as whoever joins the foray, including the actor tapped to play as a live-action version of Miles Morales, a reason to band together and fight what’s easily one of the most powerful beings in the Marvel universe.
In the meantime, Spider-Man fans might want to circle December 7 on their calendars after Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 received multiple nominations for this year’s The Game Awards.
