5 Ways Sony Pictures Can Save Its Marvel Universe In The Wake Of MORBIUS - Possible SPOILERS

5 Ways Sony Pictures Can Save Its Marvel Universe In The Wake Of MORBIUS - Possible SPOILERS

Sony is moving forward with its own Marvel Universe, and while Morbius proves that the studio still has a long way to go before matching the MCU's quality, we have some ideas about how to save this world.

Feature Opinion
By JoshWilding - Apr 06, 2022 12:04 PM EST
Filed Under: Morbius

Sony Pictures has made a lot of very good, dare we say great, Spider-Man movies. Prior to teaming up with Marvel Studios, they delivered Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2, while 2018's Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse won a well-deserved Oscar. The Amazing Spider-Man franchise was very hit-and-miss, but these days, the studio is focused on its own Marvel Universe. 

So far, the "SPUMC" has delivered two disappointing Venom movies and the downright dreadful Morbius, with Kraven the Hunter and Madame Web on the horizon. There's really no reason a world made up of characters linked to Spider-Man can't be as successful as the MCU (and DCEU), but Sony has so far dropped the ball on multiple occasions in borderline unforgivable ways.

Despite that, it's not too late to save Sony's Marvel Universe. Morbius proved they're on the wrong track, but this budding shared world is far from a lost cause, and we have some ideas about how to make things right. It's surprisingly simple, and we really hope the studio takes note! 

To take a look through this feature, all you guys need to do is click on the "Next" button below.
 

5. Say Goodbye To Avi Arad And Matt Tolmach

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Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach have become the "Kevin Feige" of Sony's Marvel Universe, with their combined brainpower delivering many of the creative decisions fans despise. 

Arad was the one who forced Venom into Spider-Man 3 (a decision Sam Raimi has shared his regrets over on multiple occasions), while the duo was responsible for the disastrous route The Amazing Spider-Man franchise went down. Fans may be campaigning for a third movie now, but their plans included having Peter join the Sinister Six and a concoction capable of raising the dead.

Neither producer appears to have any respect for what's happened in the comic books, something that's evident from the way Venom has been reinvented. Right now, they're in the midst of turning Spider-Man's greatest foes into likeable anti-heroes, building to a Sinister Six movie where they assemble to "do some good." 

They have about as much understanding of Spider-Man as Bryan Singer did the X-Men, and while Arad appears to have some strange hold over Sony's Marvel Universe, the sooner these two are ousted, the better. What have they brought to the table that's actually good? The fact that neither man has any involvement with the MCU's Spider-Man tells you everything you need to know.

4. Stop Focusing On The Villains

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Fans have made their voices heard and told Sony they want Tom Holland's Spider-Man to remain part of the MCU. Assuming that stays the case moving forward (and it really should after Spider-Man: No Way Home's success), then Sony's Marvel Universe may have to make do without a Peter Parker.

Miles Morales, meanwhile, looks set to continue being the focus of the animated Spider-Man franchise, but there's no reason for Sony to keep making movies solely about the web-slinger's villains. 

There are loads of great heroes who make up his world. For starters, you have countless Spider-Man Variants (both male and female), along with characters like Black Cat, Silver Sable, Jackpot, a variety of clones, and allies like Cardiac and The Prowler. Any one of them could take Spider-Man's place as the "lead" hero in this world, but Sony seems intent on focusing on the bad guys.

Those villains do have potential, but starting with them and building to a Sinister Six movie made up of anti-heroes has got to be among the stupidest decisions ever made. 
 

3. Put A Plan In Place And Stick To It

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Venom far exceeded box office expectations (even amidst negative reviews), but it's clear that didn't prompt Sony to put a plan in place to expand this Marvel Universe. While it certainly helped the studio gain confidence, the projects they started moving forward with at that time have all come to nothing, with Silver & Black, Jackpot, and Silk all vanishing into the ether. 

Marvel Studios didn't know Avengers: Endgame would happen when they released Iron Man, but if Morbius' post-credits scenes prove anything, it's that Sony has no clue where it's going. 

Venom: Let There Be Carnage was the perfect opportunity to start expanding this world, but it couldn't have felt any more standalone in nature. All of a sudden, the MCU's Vulture has been thrown into the mix, and the endgame (no pun intended) now seems to be the aforementioned Sinister Six movie. 

Considering nearly every reaction and review has slated those stingers and what they're teasing, don't be surprised if plans change again. If so, it's time to put some concrete ideas in place, though the trick will be creating a shared world while making these movies work as standalone projects. So far, Sony has proved that's not something they're capable of.
 

2. Embrace R-Ratings

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Marvel Studios is owned by Disney, and that means we're unlikely to ever see R-Rated stories told in the MCU (we're still not 100% convinced even Deadpool 3 will earn that rating).

However, Warner Bros. has proven in recent years that these superhero stories can be told in both PG-13 and R-Rated settings. On the one hand, you have Shazam! and Wonder Woman 1984, and on the other, there's Joker and The Suicide Squad! This is something Sony would be wise to take into account while developing stories for this vast array of Marvel characters they own. 

Venom and Venom: Let There Be Carnage would have benefited greatly from an R-Rating, allowing Eddie Brock to let loose in a way that would have meant he was more than just a goof in an alien costume. Morbius, meanwhile, was a bloodless, toothless vampire movie that majorly disappointed.

We're not suggesting every one of these Marvel movies go with an R-Rating, but they don't all have to be family-friendly blockbusters, either, as there's a big enough audience for both. 
 

1. Introduce A Spider-Man (Or Spider-Woman)

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We've talked about the other heroic characters who could be used in this Marvel Universe, but the Multiverse means there's really no reason this world can't have its own Spider-Man. It could be another Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield might want to think twice before working with Arad and Tolmach again) or one of his countless doppelgängers, but it's about time they show up. 

Madame Web is the most likely place to make that happen, and we certainly wouldn't be against seeing her recruit someone like Jessica Drew or Julia Carpenter to suit up as Spider-Woman. Olivia Wilde is still attached to a Spider-Woman movie as far as we know, so that could very well be the plan. Why not have Madame Web reach through the Spider-Verse for a suitable candidate?

Ben Reilly, Peter Parker's clone, is a good option. So too is Mayday Parker, the daughter of a Spider-Man who was lost his leg in a battle with the Green Goblin and passed the mantle to her.

The point is, do something new with a spider-themed hero, and leave Tom Holland's wall-crawler in the MCU. This will give fans the best of both worlds, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse proved moviegoers are happy to embrace and follow the stories of more than one version of the iconic superhero. 
 

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GhostDog
GhostDog - 4/6/2022, 12:11 PM
They should've either focused solely on the animated universe they are carving with SPideverse

OR

Created a live-action film verse for a different version of Spiderman such as Spider-Man 2099 and the characters, villains and whoever else inhabits that universe. Its Spider-Man with a different twist and it doesn't muddy what the MCU is doing and allows Sony to have a complete ownership on their own Webhead
BraveNewClunge
BraveNewClunge - 4/6/2022, 12:17 PM
@BlackBeltJones - why would they ever do that when they can just tie everything to the MCU and make ironman money. It's not good business sense to just do it on their own.
Fogs
Fogs - 4/6/2022, 12:21 PM
@BlackBeltJones - Totally! 2099 would be my go-to if I was in charge and only concerned with quality

But as @TheClungeMan said, the easy way is to milk the MCU. But this is a short-term vision only IMO.
GhostDog
GhostDog - 4/6/2022, 12:23 PM
@TheClungeMan - I understand the current status quo makes them money but this if they just wanted to ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING WORTHWHILE, divorced from how things are now because (yes it's making $$) the quality is shit.

Apply the same energy they gave to Spider-Verse.
BraveNewClunge
BraveNewClunge - 4/6/2022, 4:38 PM
@BlackBeltJones - I doubt they care, if the MCU stops making money then they'll go down that path.
BraveNewClunge
BraveNewClunge - 4/6/2022, 12:11 PM
My audience seemed to like it just fine and probably think it's an MCU movie.

I though it was entertaining just rushed. It was clear the script was as thin as Tory lanez' hair plugs 🤷🏿‍♂️
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 4/6/2022, 1:07 PM
@TheClungeMan - General audiences just know "Marvel", they have no idea what "MCU", "SMU", or "FMU" are.
BraveNewClunge
BraveNewClunge - 4/6/2022, 4:39 PM
@TheHumanSpider2 - yep, and now with the multiverse cameos it pretty much solidifies what they thought.
MrDandy
MrDandy - 4/6/2022, 12:13 PM
1. Don’t.

Let this sh*t die. Stick to video games, Marvel Studios making your movies or Lord and Miller producing them.
Ha1frican
Ha1frican - 4/6/2022, 12:17 PM
Just give it all to Fiege and let him print you money.
MovieMonster
MovieMonster - 4/6/2022, 1:03 PM
The villain spin-off universe was a stupid idea to begin with and I’m sure Feige doesn’t want these characters to cross over into the MCU. Sony should just let Marvel Studios make the live-action films and have Lord and Miller run the animated Spider-verse. If Kraven or Madame Web flop, I can see them putting this universe to rest.
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 4/6/2022, 1:06 PM
Avi Arad IS Spiderman, and that comment is disrespecting all he has done for the Marvel brand in movies (including giving a chance at producing to the guy who walked Dick Donner's dog, and was just serving coffee on the X-Men set).
On the other hand, Venom 1 and Venom 2 were massive hits, which means he still "has it".
Having said that, he is too old, and the message at the end of NWH felt like he was retiring, and I think is about time he passes the torch to Amy Pascal, someone who actually knows what she is doing (Spiderverse was 100% hers).

Anyway, how to save the SMU? simple, take Spiderman out of the MCU, and have him lead the freaking shared universe.
If you dont want to lose the "MCU boost" and/or dont have faith in the character carrying the movies on his own, then just leave him in the MCU, and discard the SMU idea, and just keep making Venom movies as long as Tom Hardy is willing to make them.

You CANT have a "Spiderman Cinematic Universe" without SPIDERMAN.

KindredMac
KindredMac - 4/6/2022, 1:12 PM
@TheHumanSpider2 - Are you really Amy Pascal in real life?
"Avi Arad IS Spiderman" and "...passes the torch to Amy Pascal, someone who actually knows what she is doing"?!?!?!?!
That has to be two of the dumbest things I have ever heard anyone say about Sony's Marvel IP's...

It has been proven time and time again that Kevin Feige IS MARVEL AND gets it. Time for Sony to sell the rights back or just be bought out on a corporate level by the Mouse. I'm not a fan of Disney owning everything under the sun but you have to admit that they have had a great run with Marvel.... Star Wars not so much, but Marvel yes.
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 4/6/2022, 1:24 PM
@KindredMac - NWH? her idea, $2B. Spiderverse? her idea, produced by her own company, Oscar for BEST PICTURE.

Sure, she is clueless about the character.
cjspade
cjspade - 4/6/2022, 5:03 PM
@TheHumanSpider2 - Now this is funny
leethario
leethario - 4/6/2022, 1:52 PM
Morbius was bad, but not as bad as I was expecting, still better than venom 2 though.
SaintCrow
SaintCrow - 4/6/2022, 2:47 PM
I agree with all of them, especially with #5. It's time to shake it up and get a new fresh mindset in there. Sony always comes close, then they have the idea 'we got this' and fumble.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 4/6/2022, 4:55 PM
My take is they should just get a writer/director and give him or her full control. Bet there is someone out there who genuinely wants to make a movie about certain villains.
TheJester187
TheJester187 - 4/6/2022, 10:00 PM
Arad has made his fortune off Spider-Man no way he gives up his power or position. I don’t agree with their decisions on things. But that’s the world we live in.
SheepishOne
SheepishOne - 4/6/2022, 10:36 PM
I'm wasting my breath here, but...here's what I'd do:

Open the next Sony-verse movie with a flashback to No Way Home. Amidst the chaos of the final fight, we are taken to Toomes' prison cell. Scorpion approaches from the outside. He's free. Scorpion states "Peter Parker is Spider-Man" and watches for Toomes' reaction. Toomes turns away and walks back to his window. Scorpion gets louder: "Peter PARKER is Spider-Man. And your daughter's telling the magazines that they used to date. Two years ago. Right when you got caught."

This gets Toomes' attention. "Why don't you go ahead and say what's on your mind."

Scorpion (smiling): "Tell me you knew."

Toomes scoffs.

Scorpion: "Tell me you knew who he was...and did nothing."

Toomes (after a pause): "Yea. I knew."

Scorpion spits at Toomes, and Toomes walks back to his window. The shattering multiverse is seen in the sky. We hear Scorpion running off shouting "he knew! He knew allllllll along!"

Toomes (to himself, looking at the sky): "Of course I knew. I know everything."

He sees the sky closing up, and he mutters to himself more. "Peter Parker is Spider-Man. Peter Parker. Now everyone knows. Not my fault."

And then finally, as the sky seems to be fixed, Toomes says "be careful out there, Peter." And then, we hear people outside his cell questioning what he's doing there. We roll right into Toomes getting pulled into the Sony-verse, but we flesh it out a bit.

***

Now, we reveal that the Sony-verse is the Amazing Spider-Man universe (aka the universe in which Spider-Man stopped pulling his punches). With the Amazing Spider-Man returning to this universe, Toomes sets out on a mission to find him, as he feels Peter Parker is the connective tissue back into the MCU. But, as he hears that this Spider-Man is a "murderer", Toomes decides to build a team to take him on. This is the Sony-verse sinister six. Vulture, Morbius, Venom, Kraven (sigh), Electro (he was never totally "fixed") and an improved Rhino.

And of course Madame Web is the multiversal force that's able to pull Tobey and Tom into the Amazing universe for a cameo at the end of their sinister six film.
Humperdoo
Humperdoo - 4/6/2022, 11:26 PM
I enjoyed Morbius. After reading all the negative stuff about the movie I expected a train wreck. I liked it a lot better than the Venom movies.
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