Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Tom Rothman confirmed Wednesday the studio is planning a “fresh reboot” of its Spider-Man Universe (SSU) following a string of underperforming films, according to statements made on the podcast The Town and reported by multiple entertainment industry publications.
The decision comes after recent box office disappointments including Kraven the Hunter, which grossed just $62 million worldwide, and Madame Web, which earned over $100 million globally but was still considered a commercial failure. These results follow a pattern of inconsistent performance within the SSU, with the exception of the Venom franchise, which has proven consistently profitable.
Venom (2018) generated $856 million worldwide, followed by Venom: Let There Be Carnage with over $500 million, and Venom: The Last Dance, which earned nearly $480 million, according to reports. In contrast, Morbius reached approximately $167 million globally.
Rothman indicated the reboot will involve “new people” creatively, signaling a significant shift in direction for the franchise. The studio’s initial attempt to build a shared universe around Spider-Man villains, separate from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), has been criticized for lacking a central figure and failing to capitalize on the popularity of Spider-Man himself.
Despite the struggles of the live-action SSU, Sony has found success with its animated Spider-Verse films, including Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. A third installment, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, is currently slated for release in June 2027.
Sony is also expanding the Spider-Man brand into television, with Nicolas Cage set to reprise his role as Spider-Man Noir in a live-action series for MGM+/Prime Video, debuting in late May. The performance of this series could potentially influence the direction of the reboot, potentially opening the door to a live-action Spider-Verse adaptation.
The company maintains its collaborative relationship with Marvel Studios regarding the Tom Holland-led Spider-Man films within the MCU. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is scheduled for release on July 31. An animated film centered on Venom, with involvement from Tom Hardy, is also in development.
Rothman also revealed that Spider-Man: No Way Home was banned in China in 2021 due to its depiction of the Statue of Liberty in the film’s climax, a factor he believes cost the film approximately $100 million in potential box office revenue, bringing the total to over $2 billion despite the ban.