As a seasoned cinephile with decades of comic book movie-watching under my belt, I must say that Sony’s handling of the Spider-Man franchise has been a rollercoaster ride, to say the least. The original Sam Raimi trilogy was a mixed bag for me – the first two films were delightful, while the third one left me feeling a bit let down. The Amazing Spider-Man duology started off strong but ended up being bogged down by sequel fatigue and attempts to build an unnecessary cinematic universe.
The management of Sony’s Spider-Man series hasn’t been top-notch, as it’s fair to say they’ve had their ups and downs. The original trilogy by Sam Raimi includes two of the most cherished superhero films from the 2000s, but also one that didn’t resonate well. The Amazing Spider-Man duology kicked off impressively, but the sequel aimed too high in its ambition to create a cinematic universe. Sony collaborating with Marvel Studios delivered an excellent Spider-Man trilogy and independent Spider-Verse animated films, but they also attempted to establish a broader Spider-Man universe, which was met with widespread criticism – both from critics and fans, many of whom considered the resulting films flops, with Kraven the Hunter being the latest addition to this group.
Sony has revealed they’re pausing their development of the extended Spider-Man universe, a decision that has been anticipated due to recent films like Morbius and Madame Web, which have not only underperformed financially but also sparked laughter among fans of superhero movies. Yet, it’s important to note that some people are hesitant about completely dismissing Sony’s Spider-Man universe, as it houses many beloved characters and concepts that could have led to a fantastic ensemble film – one we regret won’t come to fruition.
Despite Its Flaws, the Sony-Verse Had a Lot of Potential
2024 hasn’t been a prosperous year for superhero films, as some titles, such as Deadpool & Wolverine, managed to revive faith in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but there have been several flops among them. Blockbusters like Joker: Folie a Deux and the The Crow reboot seemed promising yet ultimately fell flat, while others were doomed from the start. Sony’s Spider-Man spinoffs in 2024 didn’t fare well, with some being predictable disappointments like Madame Web, and others, such as Venom: The Last Dance, taking everyone by surprise with their poor performance. As for Kraven the Hunter, many fans and critics weren’t optimistic about its success from the get-go, and Sony’s string of failures this year has solidified a less than ideal outlook for their universe.
It’s clear that Sony had numerous ideas for their Spider-Man series; witnessing Knull’s appearance in Venom: The Last Dance suggests they may have envisioned a team-up movie at some point. Previews like Sinister Six, which was hinted at in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 through mid- and post-credits scenes, were being set up. Many fans believed this would culminate in Knull becoming a villain similar to Thanos within Sony’s Spider-Man universe, potentially leading to an adaptation of the King in Black storyline involving only Spider-Man characters. Giving up on that concept is certainly disappointing.
Marvel’s comics are unique because they encompass multiple sub-worlds. This situation stemmed from the incredible success of two of Marvel’s top-selling comic series: X-Men and Spider-Man. These two groups of characters could function independently, separate from the main Marvel Universe, as each has a wealth of heroes and villains. Sony held rights to all Spider-Man characters, including well-known ones like Venom, and lesser-known ones only known to devoted comic fans such as Leap Frog. Despite being ridiculed for attempting to establish their own cinematic superhero realm – and the mockery was indeed warranted given the reception and box office performance of their films – they possessed the characters to achieve success in this endeavor.
In the realm of superhero entertainment, Spider-Man boasts some of the most formidable villains such as Venom and Knull, who expand his symbiote-themed roster of characters. Additionally, Spider-Man is supported by an array of allies including various Spider-Women, Spider-Boy, Silk, Black Cat, and others, all with the potential to captivate audiences in a feature film. With the right plot, a team-up movie from Sony could offer a thrilling experience, despite Sony’s history of subpar productions.
As a cinephile, I’m eagerly anticipating the cinematic journey of “Kraven the Hunter,” hoping it will continue the impressive legacy of Sony’s previous films. While some may question Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s portrayal of Kraven, I can’t help but be optimistic based on his talent and the potential this character holds.
Superhero Film Fans Are Losing Out on a Potentially Great Team-Up Movie
The prosperity of the superhero movie genre is often gauged by the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). After the conclusion of “Avengers: Endgame,” there were several challenges for Marvel Studios, both on the big and small screens. However, it wasn’t until 2024 that things started to improve significantly, with the combined impact of “Deadpool & Wolverine” and the anticipation surrounding “Avengers: Doomsday/Avengers: Secret Wars,” which brought back the Russo Brothers, Robert Downey Jr., and Chris Evans. The excitement for Marvel is back. Additionally, James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe (DCU) has generated a lot of buzz, with “Creature Commandos” demonstrating the potential of the new DC Studios. It seems that the superhero movie genre has made a positive turnaround.
That’s what makes losing a Sony-verse team-up movie so sad. Fans are excited about superhero movies for the first time in several years. Sony’s sometimes laughable failures are partly to blame for fans losing their excitement for superhero films, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t have benefited from this turn of fan esteem. Sony has access to wonderful characters, and they could have made an excellent team-up movie.
In a heartbeat, I’d have ventured to assert that such a daring move, reminiscent of a desperate Hail Mary pass in football, could easily have flopped disastrously. Yet, even if it had, the spectacle would have been a sight to behold, making every moment worth the watch.
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2024-12-16 00:09