Spider-Man is one of the most popular and beloved superheroes in the world. He first appeared in Amazing Fantasy #15 in 1962 and has been a fan favorite ever since.
Over the years, Spider-Man has been featured in various movies, television shows, and comic books. But are all of these adaptations considered part of the Marvel Universe Let’s take a closer look.
Spider-Man Movies
The first Spider-Man movie was released in 2002, directed by Sam Raimi and starring Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. This movie was produced by Columbia Pictures and distributed by Sony Pictures Entertainment. While Marvel Comics was involved in the production of this movie, it was not part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) that we know today.
In 2012, Sony rebooted the franchise with The Amazing Spider-Man starring Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. This movie was also produced by Columbia Pictures and distributed by Sony Pictures Entertainment. However, just like its predecessor, it was not part of the MCU.
It wasn’t until 2015 that Spider-Man finally made his debut in the MCU with a small role in Captain America: Civil War. Tom Holland took over the role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man for this movie and subsequent appearances in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019). These movies were produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Marvel Cinematic Universe
The MCU is a shared universe of superhero movies that are all connected to each other through various characters and storylines. It all started with Iron Man in 2008 and has since expanded to include over 20 movies and several television shows.
While Spider-Man is now a part of the MCU, the character was not originally owned by Marvel Studios. Sony Pictures Entertainment owned the rights to Spider-Man and all related characters, which is why the first two Spider-Man movies were not part of the MCU.
The Future of Spider-Man
In 2019, it was announced that Disney (the parent company of Marvel Studios) and Sony Pictures Entertainment had reached a new deal that would allow Spider-Man to continue appearing in the MCU. This means that future Spider-Man movies will be produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Sony Pictures Entertainment.
It’s important to note that while these new movies will be part of the MCU, they will still be produced by Sony Pictures Entertainment. This means that there may still be some differences in tone and style compared to other MCU movies.
Conclusion
In conclusion, not all Spider-Man movies are considered part of the Marvel Universe. The first two movies (released in 2002 and 2012) were produced by Columbia Pictures and distributed by Sony Pictures Entertainment, while the more recent movies (starting from 2015) were produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Sony Pictures Entertainment as part of the MCU. However, with the recent deal between Disney and Sony, future Spider-Man movies will continue to be a part of the MCU.