Can Sony Prove That the Third Time Is the Charm with the Future of Spider-Man?

-By Pete Hernandez III

It’s fitting how sometimes comic books can eventually translate into real life, proving it is not always the other way around. When Thanos and soon Hawkeye and Black Widow each arrive on Vormir to retrieve the soul stone, it is the Red Skull who reiterates the cost of what lies ahead. “In order to take the stone, you must lose that which you love. A soul…for a soul.”

For comic fans and Marvel fans in particular, those last four words have never felt more real in the events of this past week. Just as the Marvel Cinematic Universe is preparing to welcome the likes of the X-Men and Fantastic Four, it is also saying goodbye to arguably its Most Valuable Player.

After being unable to agree on profit sharing, Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios have effectively ended their partnership in the development of future Spider-Man films. The immediate aftermath was the realization that the webslinger would be saying goodbye to the likes of the Avengers and other superheroes of the MCU.

The uncertainty of the future of Spider-Man on the big screen is not foreign to comic book fans. After three films with Tobey Maguire the studio opted for a re-boot. And after just two underwhelming adaptations with Andrew Garfield, the studio opted to run in back once again.

Now here we are again for a third time, not a reboot but again in a situation of uncertainty. But as the saying goes, will the third time be the charm?

If there’s any reason to keep hope alive it’s that Sony now has a total of four films in which Spider-Man has appeared on the big screen with producer Kevin Feige at the helm. Feige’s track record speaks for itself. He, along with the directors and writers of the 23 MCU films truly understand the characters they are adapting. Spider-Man fans in general are largely satisfied with the version that is on screen today.

Sony itself has arguably bounced back from the hole they dug themselves in after The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Just this past year, Sony’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was regarded as one of the best comic book adaptations seen on film, going on to with the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. And despite the mixed reviews from critics, it would be an understatement to say that Venom was a “box office success.”

Does this mean that Sony understands the importance of putting the sufficient amount of time and dedication into making a comic book film? Especially in the era of comic book films of today, the expectations have risen to new heights.

For Spider-Man fans everywhere, the hopeful answer to that question is a resounding “yes.” One should never hold out hope for an eventual reunion with the MCU, but as it stands now a more important goal is on the horizon. The goal of ensuring that the future of Spider-Man on films is in good hands. Sony is betting on themselves to be up to the task, but it will take more than belief to satisfy comic fans. We’ll believe it when we see it.