What Marvel Movies Weren’t Made by Disney?
Marvel Studios has become synonymous with blockbuster superhero movies, thanks to its successful partnership with Disney. However, before Disney acquired Marvel Entertainment in 2009, there were several Marvel movies that were produced and released by other studios. Let’s take a look at some of these non-Disney Marvel movies:
Sony Pictures
Sony Pictures holds the rights to the Spider-Man character and has produced several Spider-Man movies over the years. These movies include:
- Spider-Man (2002) – Directed by Sam Raimi, this movie introduced Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker/Spider-Man and was a huge success.
- Spider-Man 2 (2004) – The sequel to the first movie, it continued the story of Peter Parker’s journey as Spider-Man.
- Spider-Man 3 (2007) – The final installment in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, it featured Peter Parker battling multiple villains.
The Amazing Spider-Man Series
In an attempt to reboot the franchise, Sony released two more Spider-Man movies:
- The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) – Directed by Marc Webb and starring Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, this movie explored a different take on the character’s origin story.
- The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) – The sequel to the first reboot movie, it delved deeper into Peter Parker’s past while introducing new villains.
Fox Studios
Fox Studios held the rights to many Marvel characters, particularly those related to the X-Men and Fantastic Four franchises. Some notable non-Disney Marvel movies produced by Fox Studios include:
- X-Men (2000) – Directed by Bryan Singer, this movie was the first in a long-running series that explored the world of mutants.
- X2: X-Men United (2003) – The sequel to the first X-Men movie, it delved deeper into the conflict between mutants and humans.
- X-Men: First Class (2011) – A prequel to the original X-Men trilogy, it depicted the early years of Professor Xavier and Magneto.
- Fantastic Four (2005) – Directed by Tim Story, this movie brought Marvel’s first family of superheroes to the big screen.
- Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) – The sequel to the first Fantastic Four movie, it introduced the iconic character Silver Surfer.
Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures holds the rights to another popular Marvel character:
- The Incredible Hulk (2008) – Directed by Louis Leterrier, this movie starred Edward Norton as Bruce Banner/The Hulk and was part of a different continuity from Marvel Studios’ later Hulk appearances.
Lionsgate Films
Lionsgate Films released one non-Disney Marvel movie:
- Punisher: War Zone (2008) – Directed by Lexi Alexander, this movie focused on Frank Castle/The Punisher as he took on a new criminal threat.
While Disney has brought all these characters under the Marvel Studios umbrella, it’s interesting to look back at the movies that were made by other studios. Each studio gave its own unique take on these beloved characters, adding diversity to the Marvel Cinematic Universe before it became the cohesive universe we know today.