6 Ways Sony Pictures Can Still Save Its Marvel Universe After MADAME WEB Crashed And Burned

6 Ways Sony Pictures Can Still Save Its Marvel Universe After MADAME WEB Crashed And Burned

Madame Web has proven to be another unmitigated disaster for Sony Pictures and we're now taking a deep dive into how the studio can right this ship and finally deliver on the potential of these characters.

Feature Opinion
By JoshWilding - Feb 20, 2024 12:02 PM EST
Filed Under: Madame Web

Last week, Madame Web was released in theaters and almost immediately cemented its legacy as one of the worst superhero movies ever made. That was no easy feat after Morbius in 2022, not to mention the mixed response both Venom and Venom: Let There Be Carnage received.

There's something seriously wrong with the SSU (Sony's Spider-Man Universe) and amid talks of "superhero fatigue," the damage Sony Pictures is doing to Spider-Man and the comic book movie genre is massive. 

Now, we're taking a look at how the studio can right this ship and, hopefully, turn things around. That won't be easy at this stage, but when they have access to such an amazing roster of heroes and villains, there's really no reason why the SSU can't be fixed...by following any of these steps!

Take a look through this breakdown by clicking on the "Next"/"View List" button below. 
 

6. Fire The Producers; Enlist A New Creative Team

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We're not sure why Avi Arad isn't a credited producer on Madame Web, particularly as he remains a huge part of Sony's live-action Marvel movies. We'd like to think the studio has parted ways with him after Morbius but, unfortunately, wouldn't bank on it. Well, at least not for now, anyway.

Longtime Transformers producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura did no better with Madame Web than Arad has on his efforts, so it's become clear Sony needs to enlist someone who can take charge of the SSU, perhaps heading up a writers' room similar to what James Gunn has done with the DCU. 

Phil Lord and Chris Miller are the most obvious suggestions after their work on the animated Spider-Verse franchise. Ultimately, it should be someone who fully understands Spider-Man and the characters who surround him; from there, build a proper shared world or, at the very least, a slate of standalone stories.
 

5. Get Out Of The Early 2000s Mindset

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One thing Venom, Morbius, and Madame Web all have in common is that it feels like they were all made in the early 2000s. The movies are very much in line with Daredevil, Fantastic Four, Blade: Trinity, and the other awful comic book adaptations many of us lived through. 

We're not sure how or why this has happened, but a certain out-of-touch producer (yes, we're talking about you again, Avi) likely needs to take most of the blame. Then again, if he truly wasn't involved with Madame Web, why did that movie fail to give us more than a minute or two of superhero costumes?

Sony appears to be massively out of touch, though this isn't news to us. Look no further than how Venom was forced into Spider-Man 3 or that awful attempt to set up the Sinister Six in The Amazing Spider-Man 2...outside of animation, they just don't get this genre. 
 

4. Bring Back What Worked

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Not everything about Sony's Marvel movies has been a failure. The visual effects are typically much better than those seen in the DCEU, for example, and there have been some stellar casting choices (how the characters are portrayed from there is often the problem). 

The weird dynamic between Eddie Brock and Venom has mostly worked; visually, Jared Leto's Morbius looked badass; in Madame Web, the three Spider-Women were fun to spend time with and watching them kick ass - even if it was for less than 90 seconds - was a blast. 

So, even if a reboot is looming, let's not forget that there are certain elements of the SSU which could benefit whatever comes next. They will, however, likely need a fresh lick of paint. 
 

3. Add Spider-Man To The Mix

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Look, we can all agree that Peter Parker is better off in the MCU but it's time for Sony to use a Spider-Man of their own. Moviegoers aren't stupid and can differentiate between two different versions of the same character, especially after Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Whether it's Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield, or even one of the other heroes - like Miles Morales - to have held the Spider-Man mantle, these spin-off movies need a wall-crawler.

Sydney Sweeney's Spider-Woman is another possibility that instantly springs to mind. Regardless, giving characters like Morbius and Kraven the Hunter their own stories simply makes no sense without a spider-themed hero, and we shudder at the thought of those rumoured Doctor Octopus and Mysterio projects.
 

2. Build These Stories Around A Central Character

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If Spider-Man isn't an option, then it needs to be someone. We've mentioned Spider-Woman and Venom, but even characters like Silver Sable and Prowler could fit the bill. Assembling the Sinister Six is all well and good, but Sony has already fallen at the first hurdle on that front. 

Morbius saw The Vulture awkwardly suggest to the Living Vampire - a wanted killer - that they could form a heroic team. It was ludicrous and not what fans want to see when there's no Spider-Man for the villains to fight. 

It doesn't even need to be a hero; had Sony seeded Oscorp throughout these movies, the Ultimate Green Goblin would have made a suitably formidable antagonist and justified the likes of Venom and Kraven the Hunter coming together. But no, Sony, you just go ahead and make El Muerto instead.
 

1. Return The Rights To Marvel Studios

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We'd imagine Sony wanting billions of dollars to part with Spider-Man. Disney already owns the wall-crawler's lucrative merchandising rights, so recouping these costs would take a long time as they'd be relying pretty much on box office receipts alone. 

With Spidey a permanent part of the MCU, Marvel Studios could build the slate of movies and TV shows that Sony appears incapable of dreaming up. Multiple Spider-Man franchises, spin-offs for Venom and Black Cat, and even the Sinister Six...the possibilities are endless under Kevin Feige's watch.

Do we think this will happen? No. Still, three or four more flops like Madame Web, and Sony might be a little more open to the idea...
 

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vectorsigma
vectorsigma - 2/20/2024, 12:06 PM
Crashed and burned? You mispelled MW with The Marvels 😂
dracula
dracula - 2/20/2024, 12:11 PM
@vectorsigma - the marvels is probably still a bigger failure because of the cost but Madame Web still crashed and burned
DankMan
DankMan - 2/20/2024, 2:51 PM
@vectorsigma - Captain Marvel was a D+. Madame Web was like the kid who scored a 15 percent on his test and had to retake 10th grade and then dropped out
Variant
Variant - 2/21/2024, 11:17 AM
@vectorsigma - Nah... the Marvels didn't perform well in the box office but it was actually a pretty good film. People can try and dramatize the negativity but the truth is...



SuperCat
SuperCat - 2/20/2024, 12:08 PM
dracula
dracula - 2/20/2024, 12:12 PM
Could make it a spider gwen universe
Evansly
Evansly - 2/20/2024, 12:13 PM
Write a clear story that works on its own
rychlec
rychlec - 2/20/2024, 12:16 PM
Jared Leto DID look great as Morbius. The character could easily be redeemed by a competent team.
Matchesz
Matchesz - 2/20/2024, 10:08 PM
@rychlec - When he actually looked like Morbius is how I expect a good Morbius movie to have him look practical and prosthetic effects wise. He looked scary enough
KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 2/20/2024, 12:17 PM
If Disney got the rights, I'd bet that we'd see Mayday Parker take the mantle inside the next two solo films...
ProfessorWhy
ProfessorWhy - 2/20/2024, 12:24 PM
Cover it in gas and set it on fire
WhatIfRickJames
WhatIfRickJames - 2/20/2024, 12:27 PM
Why call it Sony's Spider-Man Universe when you can't even use Spider-Man in the universe?
Variant
Variant - 2/21/2024, 11:00 AM
@WhatIfRickJames - It's sad when pointing out the obvious to Sony isn't actually obvious to them. Lol

Not to mention the fact they have other Marvel properties that are actually succeeding in high fashion. Across TWO different mediums and they're not even canonically integrated. Their Spider-Verse films are killing it and their Spider-Man video games are killing it... another obvious decision to make but here we are with Morbius, Madame Web, and more to come...

ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 2/20/2024, 12:28 PM
Number 1.
BIGBMH
BIGBMH - 2/20/2024, 12:29 PM
Or they could just stop, at least on the live action end. We don't need a whole sub-universe for Spider-man, especially now that he's a part of a larger universe. If they let want the animated Spider-verse team to expand their animation slate, cool. But I really think on the live action end, the best thing Sony can do for the superhero genre is to stop. Between the MCU and DCU there's going to be plenty. Already too much if you ask some people. We need a higher percentage of these movies to feel good and fresh. In this case, less is more.
DocSpock
DocSpock - 2/20/2024, 12:31 PM

Nothing will fix this.

Skestra
Skestra - 2/20/2024, 12:34 PM
Stop "journalists" from fanning the flames by writing pointless list articles.
SheepishOne
SheepishOne - 2/20/2024, 12:35 PM
Honestly at this point, it miiiiight be worth it financially to sell the rights back to Marvel. I'd imagine the Spider-Man film rights would be at least $4b, which would be the kind of profit they likely wouldn't see for 10 years (from Spidey and Spider-Verse films alone).

Could be something to think about, Sony.
BillyBatson1000
BillyBatson1000 - 2/20/2024, 12:37 PM
It boils down to writing. Back-in-the-day, the best comic-book writers were bringing ideas from outside of the genre - some prided themselves on the fact. It kept the characters alive and made them seem relevant.

A lot of the failed movies are not starting from a solid enough blueprint: a compelling plot. They're rehashing elements from previously succesful comic-book runs, or expecting an audience to stay faithful - JUST for showing their favorite characters in costume. Sony's comic book universe is running on fumes now. They really need to stop, or declare a major course change.
LeDiableBlanc
LeDiableBlanc - 2/20/2024, 12:45 PM
#1
TheFinestSmack
TheFinestSmack - 2/20/2024, 12:48 PM
FinnishDude
FinnishDude - 2/20/2024, 12:48 PM
Sony hasn't made a good live-action comic book movie without Marvel's direct help since 2004. They should just give up.
Oberlin4Prez
Oberlin4Prez - 2/20/2024, 12:52 PM
Disney can't afford to buy spiderman so that's a pipe dream of an option for sure even if Sony were interested in selling.
Order66
Order66 - 2/20/2024, 12:55 PM
#1 is the only option that matters.
supermanrex
supermanrex - 2/20/2024, 1:40 PM
@Order66 - exactly. stop bullshitting and hemorrhaging money damaging the CBM genre in the process. just give it all back take your billions in one shot and never look back at it again. they are so heavily focused on forcing profit driven ideas into their stories its disgusting. if they ruin spidey 4 and rob us of having spidey vs kingpin on top of already destroying spidey vs venom and spidey vs kraven then ill be soooooo [frick]ing mad. i want Garfield and McGuire again but not at the expense spidey vs kingpin. fans are literally begging them to make sequels with McGuire and Garfield and they just keep pushing these damn D list characters at us.
WEAPONXOXOXO
WEAPONXOXOXO - 2/20/2024, 1:06 PM
I think SONY should try the 45 day plan to save the SMU.

Nolanite
Nolanite - 2/20/2024, 2:24 PM
Yet let us not forget about The Marvels...
That was a much more disaster of a movie than anything Sony has made.
@JoshWilding I demand you to write an article about how bad The Marvels was and how to fix that garbage of a movie
Nolanite out
TheFinestSmack
TheFinestSmack - 2/20/2024, 2:41 PM
@Nolanite - I feel like you'd have to meet or exceed whatever Disney is paying him...
Batmangina
Batmangina - 2/20/2024, 6:04 PM
THIS is the hard hitting Listicle we need but don't deserve.

Get this man a Nobelitzer Prize STAT!!!!
grif
grif - 2/20/2024, 6:16 PM
why should sony return the rights to marvel? they cant make good marvel products either.
Variant
Variant - 2/21/2024, 10:53 AM
@JoshWilding - I personally think the only way this can work is if Marvel Studios negotiates a new deal with Sony. From an outsider's perspective with some business sense, I'd simply point out that their Spider-Verse numbers are on fire but their live action numbers are egregious -- the clear path forward is to give them more animation and take control of the live action. Hell, even the video games are working incredibly for Sony. Which again, in contrast, this is where Marvel Ent. / Disney doesn't have a great track record.

What are your thoughts there?

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