Getty Holland attends the press conference for 'Spider-Man: Far From Home' South Korea Premiere on July 01, 2019.
Watching every movie and show that comprises the Marvel Cinematic Universe became a lot easier with the debut of Disney Plus, but one notable character is still tough to find.
Neither Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) nor Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) are on Disney’s streaming app because Sony Pictures owns the distribution rights to both films. But a new partnership between Netflix and Sony could mean the Spider-Man movies are finally made widely available to the streaming public.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the deal announced April 8 will begin in 2022 and ensures “future ‘Spider-Man’ movies and other films based on Marvel characters that Sony has the rights to, including Morbius and Venom” will land on Netflix following their theatrical runs.
While that doesn’t reveal the streaming future of the first two Spider-Man movies starring Tom Holland, WSJ says, “Getting access to Marvel titles was a key incentive to Netflix.” That obviously bodes well for those crossing their fingers that Peter Parker’s battles against Vulture and Mysterio land on Netflix. For now though, Starz still owns the rights to Sony Pictures movies through the remainder of 2021 and is still the only place to see Spider-Man: Far From Home.
Sony & Marvel Discord Nearly Led to a MCU Departure for ‘Spidey’
In August 2019, Sony announced to the dismay of fans that the Spider-Man saga would move forward without the help of Marvel Studios. That meant — despite Holland’s Peter Parker previously making appearances in Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame — the character was to abruptly and indefinitely disappear from the MCU.
But outcry from fans and even Holland himself caused Marvel and Sony to go back to the negotiating table and work out a deal for Spider-Man’s future.
After some delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Spider-Man: No Way Home is now slated for a December 17, 2021 release. It is expected to feature Jamie Foxx and Alfred Molina reprising their roles as Electro and Doctor Octopus from previous Spider-Man franchises. It’s also rumored to have two former Peter Parkers — Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield — make appearances, although Holland says it’s not happening.
Spider-Man’s Identity Was Revealed in ‘Far From Home’
While Spider-Man: No Way Home will be the eighth movie featuring your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man, it’ll be unique in one significant way: Everyone now knows Peter Parker is the one under the mask. Both Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield managed to keep that secret from all but a select few characters during their respective runs as Parker, but Holland’s secret was spoiled by Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio.
In a mid-credits scene in Spider-Man: Far From Home, Mysterio released doctored footage of his final duel with Parker that framed him as the perpetrator of a murderous rampage. In his dying moments, Mysterio also revealed that Peter Parker is actually Spider-Man. That message was broadcast to all of New York City and presumably the world.
While few heroes in the MCU have sought to hide their identity, Spider-Man was one of the few who kept his face and name completely hidden from the public. For the first time in the modern cinematic history of the superhero, Parker will have to deal with the ramifications of the world knowing exactly who he is.
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