FEATURE: A Guide To Marvel Live Action (TV & Film) Character Rights

FEATURE: A Guide To Marvel Live Action (TV & Film) Character Rights

This guide will tell you which film studios (Marvel Studios, 20th Century Fox, Sony Pictures, Lionsgate, Universal) have the rights to which characters, and whether they extend to TV or just film.

Feature Opinion
By ProfessorX - Apr 29, 2014 08:04 AM EST
Filed Under: Marvel Comics
Marvel Studios


  • - Avengers franchise (including shared rights to Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch)
  • - Iron Man franchise (reverted from New Line Cinema)
  • - Incredible Hulk franchise (reverted from Universal)
  • - Captain America franchise (reverted from Lionsgate)
  • - Thor franchise (reverted from Lionsgate)
  • - Guardians of the Galaxy franchise
  • - Black Panther franchise
  • - Doctor Strange franchise
  • - S.H.I.E.L.D. franchise
  • - Ant-Man franchise
  • - Ms. Marvel franchise
  • - Inhumans franchise
  • - Daredevil franchise (reverted from Fox)
  • - Elektra franchise (reverted from Fox)
  • - Blade franchise (including shared rights to Morbius) (reverted from New Line Cinema)
  • - Punisher franchise (reverted from Lionsgate)
  • - Luke Cage franchise
  • - Iron Fist franchise
  • - Ghost Rider franchise (reverted from Sony)
  • - Miscellaneous (Marvel retains the rights to over 5000 characters; other notable names include Nova, Captain Marvel, the Runaways, Cloak and Dagger, and Moon Knight)
In the last decade the majority of the character rights which were with other studios have reverted back to Marvel Studios. This began with the reverting of Iron Man from New Line Cinema, followed by Thor and Captain America from Lionsgate, and the Hulk from Universal. More recently Marvel have got the rights back for Daredevil, Elektra, Punisher, Ghost Rider, and Blade.

Sony Pictures


Sony own the film rights to all Spider-Man characters. However, when Disney bought Marvel back in 2009, they made a deal with Sony which meant that - in return for wider film options - Marvel would get full Spider-Man TV rights (live action and cartoon). This means that Spider-Man can be referenced, or even appear, in any live action Marvel TV series.

20th Century Fox


  • - X-Men franchise (including Deadpool, shared rights to Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, and shared rights to Viper/Madame Hydra)
  • - Fantastic Four franchise (including Dr. Doom, Silver Surfer, Galactus, and Annihilus)
Fox retain full live action rights for all X-Men characters, which includes TV rights (Marvel were once sued for making a 'Mutant X' television series - based on X-Men characters; and they are also prohibited from using the word "mutant" on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D). It is assumed this applies to the Fantastic Four too.

Universal


  • - Namor franchise
Kevin Feige confirmed in 2013 that the Namor rights are still with Universal. There are no details on when (or if) the rights will revert to Marvel Studios.

Lionsgate


  • - Man-Thing (???)
Despite a Man-Thing reference on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D (and the inclusion of his wife, Ellen Brandt, in Iron Man 3), it is assumed that he remains with Universal. When the Punisher returned to Marvel in 2013 from Lionsgate, there was no mention of Man-Thing returning too.

Sources: comicvine, comicsalliance, screenrant
STORM #4 Variant Cover Sees Fans Compare Marvel's Ororo Munroe To Beyonce's COWBOY CARTER Album
Related:

STORM #4 Variant Cover Sees Fans Compare Marvel's Ororo Munroe To Beyonce's COWBOY CARTER Album

ALL-NEW VENOM #1 Preview Teases The Identity Of Marvel Comics Latest Lethal Protector - Possible SPOILERS
Recommended For You:

ALL-NEW VENOM #1 Preview Teases The Identity Of Marvel Comics Latest Lethal Protector - Possible SPOILERS

DISCLAIMER: As a user generated site and platform, ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions.

This post was submitted by a user who has agreed to our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. ComicBookMovie.com will disable users who knowingly commit plagiarism, piracy, trademark or copyright infringement. Please CONTACT US for expeditious removal of copyrighted/trademarked content. CLICK HERE to learn more about our copyright and trademark policies.

Note that ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

DEVLIN712
DEVLIN712 - 4/29/2014, 8:52 AM
A Nova movie would be brilliant
Mike1100
Mike1100 - 4/29/2014, 9:18 AM
I hope we see Man-Thing, Namor and Fantastic Four return to Marvel within the next 5 years.
LEEE777
LEEE777 - 4/29/2014, 12:42 PM
I hope we see Man-Thing, Namor and Fantastic Four return to Marvel tomorrow! :p

Awesome article @ PROF, just saying yesterday I wish someone would do an article on this, way cool!!!

So glad DD is back, Ghost Rider and Punisher! (Wish Marvel gave Tom Jane another chance).

Pity we wont see BLADE again with Snipes, he's the damn best at that character, still cool its back at Marvel Studios... just wish Fox's lot was!

Big ^5's and big thumbs up!
thunderforce
thunderforce - 4/29/2014, 1:06 PM
Why do so many people think Spider Woman belongs to Marvel or is it another duel ownership character?
thunderforce
thunderforce - 4/29/2014, 1:07 PM
How can others own man thing and Namor if they never made any movies with them . I thought after 7 years if no movie is made the rights go back.
ProfessorX
ProfessorX - 4/29/2014, 1:41 PM
I don't know why the Namor rights haven't reverted. They've certainly had the property for a lot longer than 7 years and done nothing with it.

As for Spider-Woman, she is part of the Avengers franchise, not the Spider-Man franchise. Sony only have the rights to characters which are associated with Spider-Man.
BoomTubeB
BoomTubeB - 4/30/2014, 8:19 AM
mutant X the broke man's X-men! I kinda dug it when I was younger! wonder if it holds up?
Mike1100
Mike1100 - 4/30/2014, 11:36 AM
@ProfessorX Spider-Woman despite the fact that she was in The Avengers, is still considered to be a "Spider-Man character" therefor Spider-Woman is currently owned by Sony.
thunderforce
thunderforce - 4/30/2014, 12:47 PM
Every time I hear about her everyone is split 50 / 50 about who owns the rights for her , I think she should be a grey area . But I wish someone would ask the head honcho at Marvel .
ProfessorX
ProfessorX - 5/1/2014, 11:44 AM
@Mike1100: Why is she considered a Spider-Man character? She has no connection to him whatsoever...
View Recorder