Sony Pictures has set the date for the third and fourth installments of the "Amazing Spider-Man" franchise.

With rumors of a "Man of Steel" sequel fast-tracked before the film debuted in the United States, it seems production companies have an eye on expanding films into franchises more than ever. While fast-tracking a sequel in the days leading up to its U.S. debut isn't much of a surprise, this tidbit from The Hollywood Reporter might be. According to THR, Sony has set release dates for the third and fourth installments of "The Amazing Spider-Man" franchise for June 10, 2016 and May 4, 2018, respectively. The news comes nearly a year before the debut of Marc Webb's "Amazing Spider-Man 2" next May.

Sequels are a part of the game when it comes to any movie franchise, and looking forward five years is certainly understandable, but scheduling two films ahead before the second has even released seems odd. While "Amazing Spider-Man," which debuted in July 2012, went on to gross $262 million over its lifetime in theaters, it was still well behind every movie in the original "Spider-Man" trilogy -- "Spider-Man" hit $403 million, "Spider-Man 2" grossed $373 million and "Spider-Man 3" nabbed $336 million. Unlike "Man of Steel," it looks like follow-ups to "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" aren't dependent on the film's box office numbers.

It's very early, but there's no current reports on whether director Marc Webb or stars Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone will return to the franchise for the third and fourth films. However, Stone seems like a long-shot for a sequel, considering rumors of her character's demise in the second film.

Directed by Marc Webb, "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan, Shailene Woodley, Colm Feore, Paul Giamatti and Sally Field. It opens May 2, 2014.