Marvel fans worldwide are now browsing through Disney Plus, expecting to get a peek at their favorite Spider-Man movie, but they are unfortunately not successful.
But why can’t they see their beloved webhead since he’s a member of The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)?
Almost every Marvel Cinematic Universe film gets released on Disney+, except for the two Spider-Man films, which are produced and distributed by Sony.
They own the character’s film rights and have made every big-screen Spider-Man picture.
The Disney and Sony Issues
Before Disney acquired Marvel Entertainment in 2009, Marvel outsourced its films and gave other studios the film rights to specific characters, such as the X-Men to 20th Century Fox and Spider-Man to Sony, who then released Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man in 2002 and every other Spider-Man film since.
Even though Spider-Man is a mainstay of Marvel comics, Sony retains the film rights to the character and associated assets, including home distribution rights.
Sony holds the film rights to “Spider-Man” films and may retain them if a picture is released every five years.
In 2015, the company agreed with Marvel Studios to enable the character to appear in the MCU. Sony would keep distribution rights to the character’s standalone films.
At the same time, Disney would get a cut of the box office and all merchandise income.
Sony and Disney announced a new agreement in 2019 to have Tom Holland’s Spider-Man appear in one more standalone film and one more MCU film.
Suppose Disney ever wants “Homecoming” to be available on Disney Plus. In that case, it must reach a new agreement with Sony.
But it seems to have missed its mark for some time. Sony announced a five-year deal with Netflix, under which Netflix will get streaming rights to new Sony films starting next year and certain older films from Sony’s catalog.
Disney and Sony have announced a multi-year content licensing deal for US streaming and TV rights that will enable theatrically released Sony movies to be broadcast on Disney’s various platforms, including Disney+ and Hulu.
Specifically, Disney will get access to many of Sony’s “iconic library films,” including Spider-Man and the other properties in Sony Pictures’ Universe of Marvel Characters, as well as the Jumanji and Hotel Transylvania franchises.
Where Can I See Spider-Man Movies?
All of the films are available to watch on Now, including the MCU’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home, Spider-Man 1, 2, and 3 starring Toby McGuire, The Amazing Spider-Man 1 and 2 starring Andrew Garfield, and the animated Into The Spider-Verse. The Cinema Membership costs £11.99 a month.
Still, bundles and discounts are available, as well as a seven-day free trial—more than enough time to binge all of these movies without spending a dime.
Except for Spider-Man Homecoming, most Spider-Man films are available on Starz in the United States. Starz is a $8.99 per month rolling subscription with a seven-day free trial.
You can also buy/rent all of them on Amazon US and Google Play.
The Bottom Line
Fans were ecstatic when Disney and Sony announced a collaboration, allowing Spidey to return to the big screen with the rest of the Avengers in Captain America 3: Civil War.
Since then, Disney and Sony have expanded their relationship, announcing that Disney would broadcast Sony films, including Spider-Man, on Disney Plus.
However, no formal date has been announced. We hope that everything will be completed by the end of 2021, allowing Disney+ to distribute Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2022.
This is a victory for fans, who will access fantastic content from two of Hollywood’s most productive studios across various viewing devices and experiences.
