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Marvel fans rejoice as Sony ‘seriously’ considers selling ‘Spider Man’ rights after ‘Kraven’ flop

For all the Marvel fans who have been praying for Spider-Man to return home, your prayers might finally be answered

2024 has been a rough year for Sony’s superhero movies. The studio’s efforts to expand its Spider-Man Universe (SSU) have fallen flat at the box office. It started with 'Madame Web', which struggled to attract audiences, followed by 'Venom: The Last Dance' the weakest performer in the Venom trilogy. Then, 'Kraven the Hunter' ended the year with the worst opening ever for a Sony-Marvel movie.

These repeated failures have sparked questions about what’s next for Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. While earlier reports hinted that Sony might reboot the franchise, fresh rumors suggest the studio could be considering an even bigger move selling the Spider-Man rights back to Marvel.

Could Spider-Man finally return to Marvel?

The rumors started when industry insider My Time To Shine Hello claimed Sony is “seriously considering” letting go of the Spider-Man rights after the recent box-office failures. Another well-known insider, Daniel Richtman, backed the claim, fueling speculation that Sony might be ready to pass the web-slinger back to Marvel Studios, as reported by Bam Smack Pow.

Sony has owned the rights to Spider-Man since 1999 and has seen huge successes with its main Spider-Man films, including Tom Holland’s movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the beloved Spider-Verse animated series. But Sony’s standalone SSU projects, like 'Morbius' and now 'Kraven', haven’t delivered the same results.

Selling Spider-Man back to Marvel would bring Sony a massive payday, but it’s hard to imagine the studio letting go of one of the world’s most popular superheroes. Despite this year’s setbacks, Sony has two major projects lined up, 'Spider-Man 4' and 'Beyond the Spider-Verse', that are almost guaranteed to be hits. For now, it seems more likely Sony will take a step back, rethink its strategy, and focus on its strengths. Spider-Man is still a huge asset, and the studio probably isn’t ready to give up its share of the superhero market just yet. Still, after a tough year, it’s not entirely out of the question. Could Spider-Man truly return to Marvel for good? Only time will tell.

Internet goes into a frenzy over Spider-Man's return to Marvel

Many fans went to X to share their excitement where one wrote, "Great news," while another added, "That would be awesome news." "Please God! lol But if I’m serious I think they handle Spider-Man well. The villains are villains but they tried to make them hero’s and that’s where they failed," commented a user. 

"Exactly where it belongs, with Marvel," shared one user while another added, "I say they should do a trade. Sony gives Marvel the full rights to all live-action Spider-Man and side characters. Marvel gives Sony more character rights for animation (plus some $). Everyone wins here." 

Sony’s next move will be critical for the future of Spider-Man on the big screen. While selling the rights back to Marvel might seem like an easy way out, it would mean walking away from one of the most beloved and lucrative characters in entertainment. For now, Sony seems more likely to regroup, learn from its missteps, and focus on what works. Whether that means a complete reboot of the Spider-Man Universe or sticking to its core Spider-Man stories, one thing is clear: the web-slinger’s cinematic journey is far from over. Fans will just have to wait and see how Sony decides to spin its next chapter.

Disclaimer: This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.