Sony Pictures is recalibrating its approach to the Spider-Man franchise, even as its Marvel Studios partnership continues to deliver huge box-office results via the MCU installments.
Tom Holland’s next appearance as Peter Parker comes in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is scheduled for theatrical release on July 31 this year. Watch the teaser below:
The film is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton with a screenplay by Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers. It marks Holland’s fourth standalone outing and his seventh performance as the character overall within the long-running and ongoing Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The official synopsis, first spotted in a retail listing for the film’s companion art book from Barnes & Noble, states: “Four years have gone by since we last caught up with our friendly neighborhood hero. Peter Parker is no more, but Spider-Man is at the top of his game, keeping New York City safe. Things are going well for our anonymous hero until an unusual trail of crimes pulls him into a web of mystery larger than he’s ever faced before.”
Related: ‘Spider-Man’ Marvel Franchise Taken By Warner Bros. | Disney Dining
The film sees the return of Zendaya as MJ and Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds, while Sadie Sink has been cast in an undisclosed role.
Jon Bernthal returns as Frank Castle, also known as the Punisher, and Mark Ruffalo reprises Bruce Banner, AKA The Hulk. The film follows the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), which concluded with the entire world forgetting Peter Parker’s identity.
As it stands, Holland is not expected to appear in the ensemble crossover Avengers: Doomsday (2026), a project that features a wide roster of returning Marvel actors.
But while the MCU branch of Spider-Man remains active, Sony’s parallel effort — often referred to as the Sony Spider-Man Universe (SSU)— has struggled to maintain any momentum.
The studio launched its MCU-adjacent initiative with Venom (2018), starring Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock. Its sequels, Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) and Venom: The Last Dance (2024), helped push the trilogy’s global total to $1.84 billion. But despite the positive commercial performance, critical reception across the series remained mixed to negative.
Subsequent entries failed to replicate even that level of success. Morbius (2022), starring Jared Leto, grossed $167.5 million worldwide against a production budget reported between $75 million and $83 million. The film later became associated with the viral phrase “It’s Morbin’ Time,” a meme that eclipsed its theatrical run.
Madame Web (2024), led by Dakota Johnson, earned $100.5 million globally against a reported $100 million budget. Later that year, Kraven the Hunter, starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, concluded its theatrical run with an appalling $62 million worldwide against a reported $110–$130 million budget.
Those results prompted speculation about the future of the interconnected slate.
Speaking on The Town podcast (via The Hollywood Reporter), Sony chairman and CEO Tom Rothman addressed the franchise’s direction. When asked, “Where are we in the Spider-Man franchise? Not the animated Spider-Verse. Is the larger Spider-Verse dead?”, Rothman responded that the series would receive a “fresh reboot” with “new people.”
Separately, Sony is developing a fully animated Venom feature, with directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein attached. It remains unclear, however, whether Tom Hardy will return to voice the character, or whether the film will form part of the new SSU.
For now, Sony’s Spider-Man strategy appears divided between its Marvel Studios collaboration and an internal reset. With Brand New Day positioned as the next theatrical release featuring Holland’s Peter Parker, the studio’s broader plans are officially underway.
Do you think Sony should reset the SSU or give up altogether? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!
