While fans may be clamoring for another entry in Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man franchise, a new report from The Hollywood Reporter suggests that it won’t be happening anytime soon.
Speaking to THR, Sony Pictures chairman and CEO Thomas Rothman noted that it’s only a matter of when, not if, a new live-action Spider-Man film comes. “You bet,” Rothman said. “When you can expect it, I don’t know. Serve no wine before it’s time.”
Following its release, Spider-Man: No Way Home very quickly became a box office smash, earning nearly $2 billion during its time in theaters and becoming the highest-grossing film of 2021, as well as the sixth-highest-grossing film of all time. The film also kickstarted its own set of rumors, with many wondering if either Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield — both of whom reprised their roles as Spider-Man in the film — would return in future films.
Elsewhere in the profile, Rothman also underlined that in addition to larger franchises like Spider-Man or Venom, Sony Pictures also plans to continue taking risks with theatrical releases. Rothman specifically noted films like Where the Crawdads Sing and The Woman King as films that deserve a chance.
“I genuinely believe if we don’t keep taking chances on the Crawdads of the world or The Woman King, that is the threat to theatrical,” said Rothman. “COVID was terrible. But at some point, the audience will move beyond it. I don’t believe that streaming is a death threat to movies. Lack of originality could be.”
