Spider-Man Set to Join Marvel’s ‘Avengers’ Movie Universe
Spider-Man will undergo another big-screen makeover as part of his return to the Marvel Universe thanks to a new deal between the comics giant and Sony Pictures Entertainment, which owns the film rights to the character, Variety reports. A new movie is slated for release on July 28th, 2017.
The two studios will cast a new Spider-Man/Peter Parker for the reboot, though no decisions have been made yet. Over the course of Sony’s five Spider-Man films since 2002, the titular hero was played by Toby Maguire in Spider-Man 1, 2 and 3, and most recently, Andrew Garfield in The Amazing Spider-Man and The Amazing Spider-Man 2.
While Sony will distribute and retain financial and creative control over the new Spider-Man pictures, the move will allow the character to join Marvel’s ever-expanding film universe. With Marvel set to bring their mid-2000s “Civil War” comics storyline to the movies next year, it’s likely that the new Spider-Man will make his first appearance in Captain America: Civil War, slated to open May 6th, 2016.
“Spider-Man is one of Marvel’s great characters, beloved around the world,” said Bob Iger, Chairman and CEO of Disney, which owns Marvel. “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.”
Spider-Man’s return, however, does force Marvel and Disney to reshuffle their already packed movie schedule. Thor: Ragnarok will now open November 3rd, 2017; Black Panther will arrive July 6th, 2018; Captain Marvel moves to November 2nd, 2018; and Inhumans has been pushed back to July 12th, 2019.
Amidst all this, Marvel is prepping the launch of its Defenders franchise, a handful of new TV series for Netflix that begins April 10th with the premiere of Daredevil. Marvel will also release the highly-anticipated follow-up to the 2012 blockbuster The Avengers this spring, with Avengers: Age of Ultron arriving May 1st
