Sony’s Spider-Man Universeexperienced two box office bombs in 2024, and I’m convinced these results mean we will never get Sony’s most bizarre announced project. Sony’s separateMarveluniverse is one of the most misguided cinematic universes. While the studio owns Spider-Man, it decided to move forward with a Spider-Man-less universe focusing on his roster of villains. Though Spidey has many iconic villains, Sony chose projects centering around some of his more obscure enemies, besides Venom.
TheVenomfilms haven’t been critical darlings, but audiences enjoy them, and they’ve found success at the box office. Casual audiences recognize Venom thanks to his popularity in the comics andSpider-Man 3, but the same can’t be said for the other characters in Sony’s universe. Kraven the Hunter is somewhat popular, but even some of the most hardcore comic book readers may be oblivious to who Morbius or Madame Web are. As such, afterKraven the Hunter’s latest underwhelming box office performance, I’d be shocked if Sony moves forward with itsEl Muertofilm.
Sony Are Refocusing The SSU After A Difficult 2024
Sony needs to change the direction of its Spider-Man universe.
The Sony Spider-Man Universe had a dreadful 2024. The year started withMadame Web, one of the worst-reviewed superhero projects ever, and a box office flop, grossing $100.5 million worldwide. WhileVenom: The Last Dancemade up for some of those losses, it still did little to win audiences back.Kraven the Hunterwas the straw that broke the camel’s back and is the lowest-grossing SSU film with $61 million worldwide. AfterKraven’s disastrous opening weekend, many reports emerged suggesting that the SSU was dead.
However, reports on the Sony Spider-Man Universe’s death may have been exaggerated, asVarietyshared a report saying the universe still had life. In an interview with theLA Times, former Sony Pictures CEO Tony Vinciquerra blamed critics for the films' poor performances but acknowledged that the studio needed to “rethink” this universe.
“I do think we need to rethink it, just because it’s snake-bitten. If we put another one out, it’s going to get destroyed, no matter how good or bad it is.”
While it’s unclear precisely what this quote means for the Sony Spider-Man Universe itself, it does reflect an awareness that the franchise can’t continue on in its current state. The only SSU films that performed well were theVenomtrilogy. Now that those films are done, Sony has nothing to build on.
Sony’s El Muerto Movie Is Never Coming Out After Kraven The Hunter’s Box Office Performance
El Muerto was already doubtful, but there’s no way it gets made now.
In 2022,Sony announcedEl Muertoduring its panel at CinemaCon. The film centered around Juan-Carlos Sanchez, a luchador wrestler who gains powers through a mystical mask and calls himself El Muerto. He is considered an antihero in Marvel Comics, as he has fought Spider-Man but has also teamed up with the hero. The film was originally set for release on June 19, 2025, and would be directed by Jonás Cuáron with Bad Bunny in the lead role. The project was seemingly canceled in 2023 after Bad Bunny confirmed he was no longer attached.
10 Sony Spider-Man Universe Problems 2024’s Cancelled Movie Could Have Solved
Sony’s Spider-Man Universe is in a precarious state, but the 2024 movie canceled by the studio could have fixed the myriad problems it now faces.
However, a 2024 report fromVarietystated thatEl Muertowas still in development, with Sony hunting for a new lead. Since then, Sony has been radio-silent about the film, andthe latest box office numbers from the SSU are a good indicator that the project is likely dead. I’m not surprised that it seems this project is no longer happening, as it was already an unconventional decision. Few outside of hardcore Spider-Man comic book readers know the character, and audiences have lost faith in this universe, meaning only the casting of Bad Bunny presented any prospects for the film.
Sony Needs To Move Away From Making Films Starring Obscure Spider-Man Characters
Spider-Man has more recognizable characters that Sony could use.
Sony’s Spider-Man Universe started on a high note withVenom, but the studio got the wrong message. Venom made nearly $1 billion worldwide, making Sony think a universe built around these characters could work. However, Venom is a well-known character who doesn’t necessarily need Spider-Man to succeed. He’s an antihero who’s sometimes an ally or a villain to Spider-Man, but he can work solo. These other characters arguably struggled at the box office because most of their stories are more pressingly attached to Spider-Man, and they’re not as well-known.
If Sony wants to focus on other villains, it needs to choose its most well-recognized characters, like Doctor Octopus or Green Goblin. While the currentSony Spider-Man Universecharacters have interesting origin stories,their comic book storylines are heavily attached to Spidey, and their solo projects weren’t compelling. Sony could bring these characters back in other projects, but they should be as villains or side characters. With there still being plenty of potential in Spider-Man’s character roster, adapting these figures on-screen still has a lot of potential, so long as it is handled in different ways.
