When the Marvel Cinematic Universe was born, it had no option but to shine the spotlight on B-list characters, as different studios owned the licensing rights for heavy hitters like Spider-Man. However, after The Amazing Spider-Man franchise failed to meet expectations, Sony decided that maybe it was time for the wall-crawler to start anew in a bigger and better place. As such, Sony and Disney struck a deal that would allow Peter Parker to join the MCU, making fans' dreams a reality along the way.
At long last, Spidey swung onto the big screen in Captain America: Civil War and got to interact with other heroes for the first time in cinematic history. At the time, everyone thought such an event was merely the beginning, and that over the years, we'd watch Spider-Man characters slowly appear in more and more projects. But while the wall-crawler has been present in the big Avengers crossovers, Peter Parker and his iconic villains have been notoriously missing everywhere else, and not for a lack of trying.
Ryan Coogler revealed that he originally intended for Kraven to be an antagonist in the first Black Panther, but Sony put a definite stop to this idea. Furthermore, we've witnessed projects such as Daredevil: Born Again constantly reference Spider-Man, yet the hero has never made an appearance in them. Besides, Norman Osborn's absence was definitely felt in Thunderbolts*, given the villain's history in comic book pages. Fortunately, the days of relegating Spider-Man characters to the side might finally come to an end.
Sony is reportedly more open to sharing Spider-Man characters with Marvel in the MCU
According to renowned insider Daniel Richtman, Sony is now more open to sharing Spider-Man characters with Disney so that they can be used in the MCU. The report comes after the official death of the Sony Spider-Man Universe, which aimed to create an interconnected narrative spanning multiple films centered around Spider-Man villains and supporting heroes, but without the wall-crawler himself. The same source also reported that Olivia Wilde's planned Spider-Woman movie is also shelved.
Given that there are no new Spider-Man-related projects in sight by Sony's hand, it would make sense for the studio to utilize those characters in the MCU. Suddenly, the door is open for Peter Parker to show up in the third season of Daredevil: Born Again, or perhaps make a quick cameo in the second Fantastic Four movie to share a scene with the Human Torch. Norman Osborn could shape up to be a major MCU antagonist in the future, and fans could even see Venom infect other beloved heroes, such as Captain America or Wolverine. The possibilities are endless.
It's important to remember that Sony has numerous successful franchises under its belt. A fifth Men in Black movie is reportedly in the works, while a sequel to Ghostbusters: The Frozen Empire is in development. However, few of these sagas could reach the heights of an interconnected universe comprising Spider-Man characters, so why would Sony give up its hopes for it? Well, for starters, the studio already failed twice to branch out into stories featuring the wall-crawler's villains. The Amazing Spider-Man was supposed to have a Sinister Six spin-off that was ultimately canceled, and we all know how Morbius did at the box office. However, Sony could have an ace up its sleeve.
Given that Sony owns PlayStation, we could witness an attempt to launch a cinematic universe based on multiple video game franchises. Uncharted, Gran Turismo, and Until Dawn have all been adapted to the big screen, while The Last of Us and Twisted Metal became TV series. Furthermore, adaptations for Ghost of Tsushima, God of War, and Horizon are underway. With that in mind, it's not hard to imagine a scenario where some of these stories collide in a PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale theatrical event. At long last, Sony can be in the driver's seat behind an interconnected cinematic universe.
As Sony tries to expand other franchises in its portfolio, Spider-Man can finally be set free in the MCU. Now that the end of the Multiverse Saga is on the horizon, perhaps we'll see more of the wall-crawler and his iconic rogues' gallery become a vital part of the MCU's future. With a bit of luck, that means that a Daredevil and Spider-Man crossover will become a reality.