Sony’s Marvel Movie Universe Has a New Name
Sony has tried for years to create their own version of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They first tried and failed during the Amazing Spider-Man era, where that film’s sequel was supposed to spawn a Sinister Six movie that never happened, along with a side movie featuring Spidey supporting characters Silver Sable and Black Cat that also never came together. After The Amazing Spider-Man 2 bombed with critics and struggled at the box office, Sony came to a deal with Marvel to share a new movie Spider-Man, played by Tom Holland.
This version of the character proved a lot more popular — as did the first Spidey spinoff Sony actually managed to make, Venom. Now they’ve begun branching off in even more directions, with Jared Leto’s Morbius due in theaters in a few months, and the notion of a Sony Marvel Universe feels a lot more plausible, if a little confusing as well. And so this not-MCU needs a name.
At CinemaCon this week, Sony gave it one. Henceforth, these interconnected movies shall be known as “Sony’s Spider-Man Universe.” It’s not the most elegant title, but it’s better than what they used to be officially called, “Sony’s Universe of Marvel Characters” or the even-clunkier “Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters” — or SPUMC for short.
Things could get very spumc-y in theaters in the next few years. In addition to the Venom sequel, Let There Be Carnage, and the first Morbius movie, Sony is also developing a movie about Spider-Man villain Kraven the Hunter, with Aaron Taylor-Johnson attached to the title role. Other movies supposedly in development for Sony’s Spider-Man Universe include Madam Web, a female-centric Spidey movie (possibly about Spider-Woman) directed by Olivia Wilde, and maybe even a revival of the old Sinister Six movie.
In the meantime, the SSU will continue with Venom: Let There Be Carnage is scheduled to open in theaters on October 15. Spider-Man: No Way Home follows on December 17. And Morbius is currently set to debut on January 28, 2022. I tell ya these movies have got spumc!