Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group President Sanford Panitch has confirmed that there is, in fact, "a plan" to connect Spider-Man to Sony's emerging franchise of Marvel spinoff films.
Since 2016's Captain America: Civil War, Disney-owned Marvel Studios has used Peter Parker/Spider-Man (played by Tom Holland) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as part of an unprecedented deal with Sony (the current owners of the character's movie rights), with Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures co-producing Spidey's solo MCU films: Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home and the upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home.
All the while, Sony has enacted plans to begin its own franchise of live-action Marvel spinoff films centered around the various members of Spider-Man's rogues gallery. This franchise began in 2018 with Venom, and is slated to continue with Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Morbius and a film starring Kraven the Hunter, which was recently confirmed to have cast Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the lead role.
While Venom: Let There Be Carnage director Andy Serkis recently confirmed that the film is not set in the MCU, Sony's films have featured various Marvel connections. The Morbius trailer not only featured an image of Spider-Man, but also a cameo by Michael Keaton, who played Adrian Toomes/Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Moreover, a description for the Kraven film lists some of the other Marvel characters the hunter has clashed with, specifically name-dropping Venom, Spider-Man and Black Panther. Tom Holland even reportedly filmed a cameo as Peter Parker for the first Venom film, only for Sony to remove the scene at Marvel's request.
"We don't really think of our 900 characters as the Spidey-verse," Panitch said in an interview with Variety. "We have a Marvel universe. The volume of characters we have -- you know, wait until you see this next Venom. You don't miss Spider-Man... It'll be exciting if they do meet, right?"
Panitch is all too aware of the tension caused by this nexus of intellectual property, as well as the confusion and frustration it has led to among fans. Nevertheless, he is confident that said tension will be resolved -- and that the Kraven movie will prove to be a key piece of the puzzle. "There actually is a plan," he said. "I think now maybe it's getting a little more clear for people where we're headed and I think when No Way Home comes out, even more will be revealed."
On that note, Marvel Studios' Spider-Man: No Way Home is expected peel back the multiverse in order feature a number of returning faces from Spider-Man's cinematic past, including those who previously appeared in Sony films. Spider-Man 2 star Alfred Molina has already confirmed his return as Doctor Octopus, whereas No Way Home's main villain is rumored to be Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin from Sony's first Spider-Man movie. They wouldn't be the first Spider-Man stars from the Sony era to make the jump to the MCU, with J.K. Simmons having reprised his role as J. Jonah Jameson in Far From Home.
"The great thing is we have this very excellent relationship with [Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige]," Panitch explained. "There's an incredible sandbox there to play with. We want those MCU movies to be absolutely huge, because that's great for us and our Marvel characters, and I think that's the same thing on their side. But we have a great relationship. There's lots of opportunities, I think, that are going to happen."
Source: Variety