‘Spider-Man’ Franchise Movie Reportedly Scrapped After Marvel Flop Era
Another planned chapter in Sony’s expanding Spider-Man-related film lineup has reportedly come to a halt, marking the latest retreat in what was once envisioned as a far-reaching shared universe built from Marvel characters tied to the web-slinger.
According to a new industry report, Sony has canceled its long-gestating Spider-Woman spinoff, adding to a growing list of stalled or discontinued projects connected to what has been commonly referred to as Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. The development signals another shift in strategy as the studio recalibrates its approach to Marvel-based storytelling outside its core Spider-Man collaborations with Marvel Studios.
Sony has controlled the movie rights to Spider-Man and a wide range of related Marvel characters for decades. That arrangement has allowed the company to produce films separate from Marvel Studios’ direct oversight. While Tom Holland’s Spider-Man operates inside the Marvel Cinematic Universe through a high-profile partnership, Sony has simultaneously pursued its own interconnected slate centered on villains and supporting figures drawn from Spider-Man comics.
That initiative–referred to as Sony’s Spider-Man Universe–produced films like Venom (2018), Morbius (2022), and Madame Web (2024). Although Venom proved to be a commercial hit, the broader lineup has faced uneven responses from both critics and moviegoers. Several proposed spinoffs have either slowed in development or been dropped entirely as returns and reception fell short of projections. In 2024, the aforementioned Madame Web became one of the worst-performing movies in recent memory.
Now, another title appears to have joined the growing list of canceled projects.
Entertainment insider Daniel Richtman has reported via his Patreon (per The Direct) that Sony’s planned Spider-Woman movie is no longer moving forward. First announced in 2020, the film drew attention when Olivia Wilde (Booksmart, The Invite) signed on to direct. The project was designed to introduce Jessica Drew–with reports at the time suggesting Daisy Ridley as a possible lead–positioning the character as a major new presence in Sony’s Marvel-adjacent lineup.
Despite the early announcement, tangible progress remained limited in the years that followed. No official casting confirmations, production schedule, or release window were ever locked in. Updates were rare, and momentum never fully materialized. With this latest report, the film appears to have been quietly set aside.
The reported cancellation follows a rough period for Sony’s Spider-Man villain and side-character features, culminating in 2024’s Kraven the Hunter underperforming at the box office over a year ago. That outcome raised further questions about whether a shared universe built largely without Spider-Man himself could sustain long-term audience interest.
Jessica Drew’s Spider-Woman holds a distinctive place in Marvel Comics history, known for storylines that blend superhero action with espionage and science fiction themes. The decision not to proceed with her standalone film illustrates how much Sony’s earlier franchise-building roadmap has evolved.
The studio is not exiting the Spider-Man business, however. Its most reliable Marvel successes continue to come from joint efforts with Marvel Studios. The next installment, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is a joint Sony and Marvel Studios production starring Tom Holland and is slated for release this July as part of the MCU’s Phase Six slate.
Those Holland-led entries are deeply woven into the MCU’s overarching narrative and have consistently generated strong ticket sales and positive audience reactions–a contrast to several of the standalone spinoff attempts.
With more spinoffs falling away and fewer villain-focused projects advancing, Sony’s separate Spider-Man Universe appears to be narrowing in scope. Meanwhile, its partnership model with Marvel Studios remains the studio’s most stable path for Spider-Man on the big screen. Outside of theatrical releases, Sony is still developing select projects tied to the character’s world, including the upcoming Spider-Noir series starring Nicolas Cage.
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