Sony Pulls the Plug on Spider-Verse Spin-Offs: Is a Reboot the Only Way Forward?
In a move that’s sure to spark debate among fans, Sony Pictures CEO Tom Rothman has officially confirmed what many suspected: the live-action Spider-Verse is getting a complete reboot. This decision comes on the heels of Kraven the Hunter’s disappointing box office performance, which capped off a string of underwhelming spin-offs. But here’s where it gets controversial—is rebooting the franchise the right call, or is Sony simply hitting the reset button to avoid addressing deeper issues?
Let’s rewind a bit. Back in 2015, Sony partnered with Marvel Studios to bring Spider-Man into the MCU, starting with Captain America: Civil War. With the character’s soaring popularity, Sony ventured into its own Spidey-adjacent projects, kicking off with Venom in 2018. While the film was panned by critics and fans alike, it raked in a staggering $856.1 million globally. Its sequels, Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Venom: The Last Dance, brought in less ($506.8 million and $478.9 million, respectively), but still managed to turn a profit. Yet, outside of the Venom franchise, Sony’s luck ran dry. Morbius limped to $167.5 million, Madame Web scraped together $100.5 million, and Kraven the Hunter became the biggest flop with a mere $62 million.
And this is the part most people miss—the recurring issue across these films was the involvement of producers Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach. Their creative decisions have been a point of contention, leaving fans to wonder if the franchise’s struggles are more about leadership than the characters themselves. Depending on how Spider-Noir is received later this year, it’s not hard to imagine Phil Lord and Christopher Miller being tapped to salvage the franchise. But will a fresh reboot truly fix what’s broken, or is Sony just delaying the inevitable?
During a candid conversation on The Town with Matt Belloni, Rothman confirmed the reboot when asked about the future of the live-action Spider-Verse. His response? A succinct, “Yes.” When pressed if it would be a “fresh reboot,” he doubled down with another “Yes.” But here’s the kicker—Rothman also hinted at the strategic value of scarcity, suggesting that making the audience miss Spider-Man could be part of the plan. “The scarcity has value
