The Sony Spider-Man Universe will probably pack up its side characters and head home this year. According to The Wrap, a Sony insider noted a distinct lack of quality control, stating, “The movies just aren’t good.” Another voice from the industry claimed that Kraven the Hunter will be the last SSU film, as the studio will shift their focus soon. The future of Spider-Man movies will feature a lot more Spider-Man, if Sony means what they say.
The grim monstrosity that became the SSU started after The Amazing Spider-Man 2. It’s mostly the brainchild of Avi Arad, allegedly the producer who shoved Venom into Spider-Man 3. They always intended to follow TASM 2 with several solo villain movies, only slowing down when Marvel demonstrated the need to make good movies in order to profit. Sony famously refused to hand Spidey over, trudging on with the SSU and becoming a laughingstock among fans.
The Sony Spider-Man Universe May Have Launched Its Last Anti-Hero
The fate of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe has always felt up in the air. They try to do the Marvel Cinematic Universe thing, announcing sequels a decade in advance, but it never works out. Even these quiet statements to The Wrap don’t necessarily constitute a concrete announcement. That aforementioned Sony insider noted the combination of low quality and unappealing project pitches. Beyond that, the source suggests pursuing new intellectual properties, as their efforts to profit from Spider-Man only work out when Marvel gets involved. Every SSU film has brought in less money than the one before it, save for the Venom trilogy, which also saw diminishing returns with each entry. This obvious trend doesn’t seem likely to stop with Kraven the Hunter. Fans and critics have called for the franchise’s end, but Sony seems ready to cut and run at last.
Sony has become the bumbling antagonist of the cinematic universe era. When Marvel cracked the formula for adding comic book continuity to blockbuster cinema, practically every other studio chased after them. The only semi-consistent competitor is DC, who recently rebooted their universe to start over. Most other examples flopped after one or two entries. More hilarious attempts, like Universal’s Dark Universe concept, dropped dead during their announcement. Sony even tried to get a Valiant Comics universe going with Bloodshot. Before that, they had a Robin Hood cinematic universe in mind. These attempts remain pathetic, but the only things sadder than their scrapped ideas are the ones that made it to the screen.
If Kraven marks the end of the SSU, it’s a win and a loss for the moviegoing public. On one hand, no one has to see their favorite character get dragged through the mud. On the other hand, I love laughing at the Sony Spider-Man movies. Remember when we, as a culture, convinced them to bring Morbius back? Remember It’s Morbin’ Time? At least we all had some laughs. Not every cinematic universe can promise the same level of pure comedy as the SSU. I’m slightly sad to see it go.
