Sony to Reboot Spider-Man Universe with “New People” After Box Office Disappointments

Sony Pictures is planning a “fresh reboot” of its Spider-Man Universe (SSU) following a string of underperforming films, including Kraven the Hunter, Madame Web, and Morbius. The announcement comes from Sony Film CEO Tom Rothman, confirming a shift in direction for the studio’s interconnected web of Marvel characters.

Addressing the Current State of the SSU

Rothman confirmed the reboot plans during an interview on The Town podcast, stating that while the larger Spider-Verse is not “dead,” it will be revitalized with “new people.” This signals a departure from the existing storylines and characters established in films like Venom, Morbius, and Madame Web.

Recent Performance of Sony’s Spider-Man Films

While the Venom films (Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, and Venom: The Last Dance) achieved moderate box office success, they were largely met with negative critical reception. Morbius (2022), Madame Web (2024), and Kraven the Hunter (2024) were considered significant box office failures and received overwhelmingly negative reviews. Tony Vinciquerra, outgoing Sony Pictures CEO, previously described the launch of Kraven the Hunter as “probably the worst launch we had in the seven-and-a-half years” of his tenure IGN.

The Value of Scarcity and Future Plans

Rothman emphasized the importance of “scarcity” in maintaining audience interest, suggesting that a period of absence could rekindle excitement for the franchise. He stated, “You’ve got to develop the audience miss you.”

Sony’s next theatrical Spider-Man project, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, is scheduled for release on July 31st. This film will feature Tom Holland reprising his role as Peter Parker alongside Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk and Jon Bernthal’s Punisher EW.

Sony is collaborating with Amazon MGM on a live-action Spider-Man TV series, Spider-Noir, starring Nicolas Cage as a 1930s-era version of the character EW.

Implications of the Reboot

The reboot suggests that actors like Tom Hardy (Venom), Dakota Johnson (Madame Web), Jared Leto (Morbius), and Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Kraven the Hunter) are unlikely to reprise their roles in the new iteration of the SSU. However, Sony’s past success in bringing together multiple Spider-Man universes in Spider-Man: No Way Home leaves the door open for potential surprises.