Consider the Shared Universe Part IV: Spider-Man

As that catchy '60s song goes, Spider-Man can do whatever a spider can. And apparently, what a spider can't do is create a proper shared universe. Spidey has one of the best rogues galleries and cast of supporting characters in comic book history. With all those characters, Spidey has enough story arcs to carve out his own small corner of the Marvel U. As a standalone franchise, Spidey can soar. But when you try and spread those characters thin across multiple spinoffs, it's probably doomed to failure. 

The success of The Avengers has spurred Sony into taking their infant, Batman Begins-inspired Amazing Spider-Man reboot series and retool it into a Marvel-esque shared universe format. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 was meant to be ground zero for this new shared universe. Now the entire concept is up in the air. This will probably be the most theoretical entry in my shared universe series, since right now the future of the franchise is so uncertain. I will entertain multiple theoretical Spidey films, both the ones that are technically scheduled and the ones rumored from the Sony Hacks. Time to explore this tangled web. 

The Story So Far: Sony has released five Spider-Man films spread across two film continuities: the now closed off Sam Raimi trilogy, and the two Amazing films. The latter continuity is (for now) meant to create a shared universe. The current film slate consists of a Sinister Six film, a Venom vs. Carnage film, and an untitled film consisting of female superheroes. These will then feed into the third Amazing film. However, this entire plan seems to have fallen apart in the wake of ASM2's lackluster box office performance. 

The Sony Hacks have revealed that a deal with Marvel was underway to share Spidey between the two companies. Had this deal gone through, the current Sony film slate would be scrapped, in favor of a new Spider-Man being introduced in Captain America: Civil War. From there, the new Spidey would appear in a trilogy of solo films set in the MCU, directed or produced by the Russo Bros. (The Winter Soldier). Spidey would also appear in the two-part Infinity War film. This deal seems to have fallen apart as well, due to creative issues between both companies. According to the hacks, Sony has since proposed multiple in-house alternatives, including an animated film directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller (The Lego Movie) and another reboot focusing on an adult Spider-Man in a relationship with Mary Jane, based on the "Kraven's Last Hunt" comics arc. A spy film starring young Aunt May was never really proposed (thank God). 

A "Spidey Summit" is scheduled for sometime this month to decide what to ultimately do with the character. Recent rumors say the summit has already happened, and purportedly a deal has been struck to put a new Spidey into Infinity War, since production on Civil War is past the point where Spidey can be included. Other rumors say Sony was floating the idea of keeping its original shared universe slate, in addition to a multiverse crossover with the Raimi films. Ultimately, the Marvel deal and Raimi crossover have both been denied, but remain possibilities. The future of the franchise is still up in the air, whether with Sony or Marvel. Due to the uncertain future of the franchise, I've chosen to explore all of these possibilities, and how they could possibly create a closed off shared universe or contribute to the MCU. 

Predictions

Sinister Six (November 11, 2016)- This is the only film from Sony that has a definite release date pegged for the time being. Until we get a press release, this is still happening. According to the Sony Hacks, the purported plot was either going to be a massvie, effects heavy heist film or a team-up with Spider-Man against a larger threat. I've heard everything from the film continuing the threads from ASM2 to this being a "soft reboot" that recasts Spidey. Drew Goddard is still attached to direct, and the hacks say he really wanted Tom Hardy to play a skyscraper sized Sandman attacking Paris (yes, you read that right). If the team-up aspect is explored, the larger threat is a symbiote, either Venom or Carnage. If Venom, part of the plot would have Spidey don the black suit, only to discard it after the Six make fun of his new look (yes, you also read that right). 

So let's pretend Sony actually has a plan with these films (which I highly doubt). Taking these email hacks into account, along with what was set up in ASM2, here's my personal theory. The film has Harry, Rhino, Doc Ock, Vulture (all but confirmed) along with Black Cat (Felicia was in ASM2) and Kraven (he's heavily rumored). Gustav Fiers/The Gentleman (the shadow man from both films) acts as Harry's liason to gather the Six Nick Fury-style. The premise is a Spider-Man film from the villain's perspective. 

Spidey never appears as Peter Parker, and does at some point get the black suit, which like the Ultimate books is a genetic experiment. The empowered Spidey defeats the Six, prompting Doc Ock to discuss usurping control of the team from Harry with the Gentleman. When Fiers refuses, citing orders from someone else, Ock kills him and takes over the team anyway. The Six painfully separate the symbiote from Spidey, alarming Felicia and causing her to quit. Harry, bitter at Ock and the team, leaves on his own, and bonds with the symbiote to form Venom. In my proposal, the Six do not team with Spidey. With Harry and Felicia gone, two roster spots open up. It is revealed Fiers was taking orders from Norman Osborn, who's still alive and on life support. Ock goes to Norman and performs surgery on him, empowering Norman as the Ultimate Green Goblin. 

Venom vs. Carnage (2017)- Rumors have hit the web that this film is all but dead, which is unfortunate because I think it's the only spinoff that has any real potential. It's scheduled for an unknown release date in 2017, which furthers the belief the spinoff is dead or at least on hold. Anyway, here's my theory. Off the backs of S6, Harry, now Venom, develops a partnership with and dependence on the symbiote. He'll end up becoming a lot like the 616 version of Eddie Brock, obsessed with gaining vengeance on Spidey for ruining his life and also proving he can be a better hero than Peter. He'll be an anti-hero, trying to generally do good but fighting the urge to viciously kill his victims. 

Part of the symbiote will leave and bond with serial killer Cletus Kassady, to form Carnage. I've heard another rumor that film Carnage will go the ultimate route and be a cloned Gwen Stacy, to keep Emma Stone on board. But if the Venom film does move forward with Carnage as the villain, I don't think Carnage Gwen makes sense in that context. Obviously the rest of the film will focus on the rivalry between Venom and Carnage, and result in Venom defeating his spawn and Kassady dissapearing. A credits scene will reveal he's taken up the final vacant spot on the S6 team, now co-run by Ock and Norman. 

Untitled Female Hero Film/Black Cat/"Glass Ceiling" (2017)- We know next to nothing about this film, other than "Glass Ceiling" is the working title. Since Felicia was included in ASM2, I'm inclined to think this could be a Black Cat film or a female ensemble film with her as the main character. So let's theorize. If I'm right in thinking that Black Cat is part of the initial S6 roster and then leaves, she would flee New York after they try hunting her down. She goes to another city like Boston, Houston, Chicago, or San Francisco and sets up a new civillian identity. 

Felicia decides to atone for her sins by using the Black Cat identity in a "Robin Hood" fashion, stealing from the wealthy and corrupt to give to the poor. We could see flashbacks to her upbringing to help understand her motivation better. Cat's actions earn her the hatred of local mob boss Silvermane. He sends the Enforcers to deal with her, consisting of Tombstone, Hammerhead, and Shocker. After defeating them, Cat would fight Silvermane and his daughter, Silver Sable. Tone wise I'd like the film to be more like a crime thriller with a kick-ass female lead. 

The Amazing Spider-Man 3 (2018)- This film was originally scheduled for 2016 until S6 took its spot. The film is (for now) due for a 2018 release. Since the other spin-offs hit first, I'm guessing ASM 3 is being retooled as an Avengers style team-up flick with Spidey as the central character. In accordance with that, here's my theory. Peter, now in college, is still recovering from Gwen's death, his forceful separation from the symbiote, and his defeat at the hands of the S6, who haven't been publicly seen since. When the S6 return more powerful than ever and try taking over New York's underworld, Peter must stop them with the help of Venom and Black Cat. Peter considers Cat a potential love interest, and also sees how the Venom suit has corrupted Harry and attempts to save him from it. 

Ultimately, Peter puts down the S6 with help from his "amazing friends." (See what I did there?) Felicia leaves to resume her new life in another city, while Harry dies making peace with Peter. Now able to fully move on from Gwen's death and Harry's betrayal, Peter starts a relationship with fellow college classmate Mary Jane. The Six's defeat also exposes Oscorp's corruption and clears the name of Peter's father, wrapping up those story arcs for good. 

Other Sony Proposals- So let's assume that entire shared universe plan is scrapped, but Sony still keeps Spidey's film rights instead of making a deal with Marvel. What then? Well, the Sony Hacks revealed several alternatives. One of the more prominent ones was a proposal to treat Spidey like James Bond, and just keep recasting him and doing standalone adventures not beholden to continuity. This would be a great approach if the idea was to abandon the shared universe concept and just focus on making good Spidey flicks. 

The idea of using "Kraven's Last Hunt" and exploring an adult Peter with Mary Jane is also great. Kraven the Hunter would come back into Peter's life and bury him alive, only to take up the Spider-Man identity to prove he's better at it. Since it focuses on an older Peter in a relationship with MJ, it could even be a loose continuation of either the Maguire or Garfield continuities. Maybe Sony could still move forward with the Garfield films and its spinoffs, and just use this concept for future films. If this happens, then they should bring back the Kraven actor from the S6 arc, which would give the film more weight since they've fought before. The film could even have a Wrath of Khan feel, exploring Peter's mortality and life choices by confronting a past enemy. I think it would work great, but given the current shared universe landscape, it doesn't seem likely. 

So what about an animated film? Spidey does have a rich history in animation, and getting the Lego Movie guys to direct is, admittedly, a masterstroke. If they can do for Spidey what they did for Lego Batman, this could be big. I'd love to see a villain like Mysterio brought in, since you could take full advantage of his illusions to do wonderful things with the animation. Big Hero 6 also proved animated superheroes can succeed, so it's not unheard of. Sony may have more room to be faithful to Spidey's comic lore, going as big as possible in terms of scope without worrying about inflating the budget or making things "realistic." The only thing is, will it be a standalone feature or still connected to the Amazing-verse? 

Going the James Bond or animated route would be a cool way to differentiate Spidey from the other superhero franchises out there, standalone or otherwise. But the Sam Raimi crossover still intrigues me. Should DC never realize their multiverse concept, Spider-Man is the only other comics character I can think of who could pull off using alternate dimensions. Video games, cartoons, and most recently the comics have utilized this story, and it could also be a cool way of capitalizing on a "universe" with only Spider-Man. 

Imagine a whole team of Spider-Men and Women uniting against a villain, either Mysterio (like the game), an evil Spidey (like the cartoons) or Morlun and his family (like the comics). It'd be a great way to incorporate the Garfield and Maguire versions, connecting the entire spider franchise up to that point. It'd also be a great way to seed more spin-offs starring other Spider characters, and not worry about continuity since they're all in separate realitites. Imagine a Blade Runner-esque Spider-Man 2099, or a detective thriller Spider-Man Noir? This would also lead to what could definitely revitalize the Spider-Man brand: introduce Miles Morales and Spider-Gwen. 

Both are characters that have gained quite a bit of popularity among comics fans. They allow for diversity and their own story arcs. In Spider-Gwen you can bring back Emma Stone and have your female led film. In Miles you have a worthy successor to Peter Parker who's also a half black half Latino kid, attracting a more modern audience. Now imagine bringing all these Spiders together, alongside the Garfield and Maguire versions. It'd make a killing. And if Sony does decide, at the end of the day, to sell the rights back to Marvel, you can still justify the whole endeavor by saying the MCU is another parallel universe, so its version of Spidey is just co-existing alongside the rest. Which brings me to my next proposal...

MCU Proposal- Let's assume the Marvel-Sony deal did go through and Marvel got the rights to use Spidey. This may be null and void for the time being, but considering where both franchises are heading (Sony is floundering, Marvel succeeding but in need of new heroes), it's much more likely to still happen. I mentioned in my MCU entry that Spidey could show up in Civil War. To expand a little on that, I imagine he'd be a rookie hero, either high school or college, who got his powers shortly after Ultron. 

Since he's impressionable and has a lot of potential, Tony recruits him into the pro-reg side. Tony and Pym collaborate to create the Iron Spider suit (just look at the Yellowjacket suit and tell me it wouldn't make an awesome Spidey costume). Like the comics, Peter has doubts and eventually switches to Cap's side. While it's said the current Civil War script doesn't have Spidey, should a deal come to fruition, I could see some reshoots putting Peter in as a minor role, almost like a cameo. He doesn't have to be the focus, given it is technically Cap's movie.  

Should Peter get his own solo MCU franchise, I could see his first solo film dealing with the Civil War fallout, and coming out in November 2016. Norman Osborn and Oscorp, with the full support of Tony Stark and J. Jonah Jameson, create a new government sponsored superhero named the Scorpion, aka veteran Mac Gargan. Spidey is a fugitive who has yet to sign up with Cap's side full-time, since Bucky is now leading the charge in the wake of Steve's death. Peter considers quitting when Scorpion gets more acclaim then him. 

Eventually Gargan goes insane and starts killing people, forcing Spidey's hand. Peter is hailed as a hero despite his fugitive status, and Gargan is imprisoned. This would be the first film. I'd love for a Netflix show like Daredevil to pick up from here, showing Osborn, set on revenge, creating Peter's rogues gallery to get back at him. They form the first version of the S6, and by the show's end Peter is convinced to help the anti-reg side full time. He could even team with Daredevil throughout the show, who's trying to convince him to join Bucky's team. 

This would lead to Peter being part of Bucky's Avengers team by the time Infinity War starts. He'd participate in the battle against Thanos, during which he'd bond with the symbiote. After the two-parter, Spidey's next film would kickstart Phase IV in 2019. It'd involve Peter dealing with the black suit and discarding it, only for Osborn to find it and have it bond with Gargan to become "Agent Venom." Gargan would join Osborn's personal superhero team, the Thunderbolts, led by Osborn in the Iron Patriot suit. 

The Thunderbolts are secretly a new version of the S6, marketed as heroes. Peter would fight the Thunderbolts and expose them, pissing Norman off. By film's end, Norman sheds the Iron Patriot identity and becomes the Green Goblin. A third film, either towards the end of Phase Four or maybe even in Phase Five, would be a full-on Spidey vs. S6 fight, with assistance from other heroes. It would have Peter then joining a new iteration of Avengers, and just acting as a supporting character in other films as more heroes get their chance at solo movies. 

Can It Work? In all honesty, no. While I've outlined several proposals that could, in theory, allow this to work, the fact of the matter is Sony has no idea what direction to take with Spidey. They're too focused on mimicking what's popular instead of following their own vision. The current plan is destined to failure, since it was halfhazardly set up and is being done more for marketing rather than creative reasons. Similarly, the idea of in-house reboots, Sam Raimi crossovers, and animated films may be appealing, but since they've all been proposed, it's shown Sony only cares about them for monetary purposes. The only way I could possibly see Spider-Man working in a shared universe capacity is to have him return to Marvel. Bringing Spidey home would allow him to maintain and define his identity in the context of a larger universe, and bring more adventures to the screen with other superheroes. 

If a deal with Marvel can't be reached, then either the standalone James Bond approach or a multiverse concept would make more sense. Both of those concepts operate off the idea that Spidey should be his own thing, cut off from the shared universe idea altogether. Spidey simply does not have enough varied characters to support spin-off franchises. As such, a shared Spider-Verse with one unified continuity won't work. This is surefire proof that in an age where the shared universe is king, not all franchise characters can adopt this model. Tomorrow I will end my oddyssey through the shared universe concept, by exploring what other, non-superhero franchises are due for this approach, and whether or not they can succeed.