Sony has reportedly decided to cancel plans for further Spider-Man spinoff movies in its Sony Spider-Man Universe (SSU). This decision comes after multiple box office failures and expectations of a lackluster reception for the SSU’s latest chapter, Kraven: The Hunter, set to debut next weekend.
The release of Kraven: The Hunter coincides with a strong theatrical market driven by record-breaking hits like Disney’s Moana 2 and Universal’s Wicked.
Despite the success of other films, Sony’s attempt to build a Spider-Man-centric cinematic universe focused on villains and supporting characters—without Spider-Man himself—has faltered.
While the Venom trilogy initially showed promise, with the first film earning $856 million in 2018, the franchise’s box office returns have significantly declined, with this year’s Venom: The Last Dance bringing in only $472.8 million.
Other SSU entries, such as Morbius and Madame Web, performed poorly, grossing just $167 million and $100 million, respectively.
To salvage Kraven’s prospects, Sony released the first nine minutes of the film online for free. However, early reactions suggest the movie lacks originality, presenting a generic Marvel spinoff vibe with heavy CGI and an over-the-top action formula.
Spider-Man’s Loss, Interstellar’s Gain
The underwhelming performance of Kraven: The Hunter and the animated The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, which opened to just $2 million internationally last weekend, could inadvertently benefit Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar.
Celebrating its 10-year anniversary, Interstellar earned $14 million in re-release revenues last weekend and could see an extended run, especially if Warner Bros. Discovery pairs it with The War of the Rohirrim to mitigate losses.
An intriguing possibility would be a premium-format double feature of Interstellar and Oppenheimer, capitalizing on Interstellar’s enduring popularity and the lackluster competition from Kraven: The Hunter.
Spider-Man Spinoff Kraven The Hunter
A Shift in Sony’s Spider-Man Strategy
Sony’s decision to abandon its SSU villain-centric approach signals a major pivot. The studio had released more spinoff SSU films than standalone Spider-Man entries in recent years, including four villain-focused movies compared to only three live-action Spider-Man films.
While the Venom films found some success, the exclusion of Spider-Man from these spinoffs and the failure to pit villains against each other further weakened the SSU’s appeal. The financial toll has been significant.
The six SSU films cost over $600 million to produce (with an additional $300 million in marketing) but grossed just $2.1 billion combined—$1.8 billion of which came from the Venom trilogy, with almost half from the first film alone. After accounting for costs and revenue sharing, Sony’s profits from the SSU remain marginal at best.
Merchandising and licensing offer some additional revenue, but these films have not generated sufficient demand to justify their hefty investments. Sony’s decision to halt SSU projects reflects the studio’s recognition of a flawed strategy and the need to refocus its resources.
Spider-Man Takes Center Stage
Sony’s live-action Spider-Man films and animated Spider-Verse projects have consistently delivered high-quality entertainment.
From Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy to the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spidey films and the acclaimed Into the Spider-Verse and Across the Spider-Verse, these movies have set the standard for superhero cinema.
By concentrating on these successful franchises, Sony can rebuild its Spider-Man universe with the focus and care it deserves.
Should the studio decide to revisit villain-centric projects in the future, careful planning and development will be essential to ensure these characters receive the treatment and storytelling quality audiences expect.
