There may be a more antagonistic side to this as well. "As such, if Disney makes a Hulk or Namor film, Comcast can distribute the film on Peacock. Since then, there have been 22 movies released in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with more planned for the future. It is true that Universal still holds the distribution rights to any future Hulk movies, but the character rights and licenses firmly belong to Marvel after Universal didn't act on a. The agreement has the potential to stay in effect (aka good faith) or for an indefinite period of time, unless Universal decides to close the Marvel Universe area, stops making payments for use of the property, or Marvel opts out of the contract if it believes Universal is mismanaging its rights. After Ang Lee's regrettable Hulk film in 2003, Universal agreed to let Marvel Studios make the next picture, distributing The Incredible Hulk. "While Disney owns all Marvel IP, Universal has distribution rights to Hulk and Namor," the analyst wrote. And this is true of both in the 1960s and the 2000s. The final reason given for no solo Hulk movie anytime in the near future is that it will cost a lot of money. Children 40-48 inches (102-122 cm) must be . That means that when Marvel Studios wants to make a Hulk movie, they are contractually obligated to ask Universal if they want the distribution rights. Either party may terminate the contract; however, Marvel must have a legitimate, legal reason to why the contract is void (poor upkeep, not upholding the quality of the IP, etc.) Photos not available for this variation. Paramount also distributed the first Iron Man, Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor. But they did not obtain the distribution rights, which Universal still has today. Apparently, the original deal for his rights stated they reverted to Marvel 15 years after the release of the latest film. in a statement, a spokesperson for Universal Studios Hollywood said the park experienced a "brief power dip which resulted in exiting guests from some attractions", due to a "power interruption" from the utility Southern California Edison. Universal had been working with Marvel on a number of projects, including a theme park attraction based on The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ride at Islands of Adventure. The Hulk might be coming home as rumors are spreading that claim Marvel now completely owns the rights to the big, green and angry hero, which could potentially lead to a new series of standalone films for the Hulk. While Universal agreed to share the character with the main universe in MCU, it was still not allowed for Disney and Marvel to produce any solo movie on him. Community Guidelines | Don't hold your breath. Because of this, and Tenoch Huerta's fantastic performance, many MCU viewers would like a Namor solo film - something that may not be happening anytime soon. This is why The Incredible Hulk, the character's only solo outing in the MCU, was distributed by Universal. HULK: Marvel Studios May Finally Regain The Jade Giant's Theatrical Rights From Universal In 2023 The last time the MCU's Jade Giant starred in his own movie was 2008's The Incredible Hulk,. The Security and Exchange Commission filing from 2008 allows Universal to hold Hulk movie rights for 15 years, which would expire June 2023. Back then, Marvel Entertainment were an independent company and so the Studios operated as just production, working with outside distributors. So if Marvel went ahead with a Hulk film on their own, they could either buy out Universal's distribution rights, make a deal with the studio that would be mutually beneficial, or just live. Before the days of the MCU, the characters from the many Marvel Comics were almost shared out among other Hollywood studios. The Incredible Hulk star Tim Roth is also reprising his MCU role as Emil Blonsky/Abomination for She-Hulk, having recently lent his vocals to the character for his cameo in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Orlando Resort, and Universal Studios Japan all have amazing Marvel rides that are sure to thrill and excite any fan of the superhero franchise. Disney has the option to produce and distribute any future Marvel movies that it acquires as a result of its Marvel movie rights. As is evident with Marvel Studios' deal with Sony, there are ways the two studios could come together and work out a mutually beneficial deal for Marvel Studios to release solo films for the characters. Ive been working in the online publishing industry for over 10 years and have a passion for creating engaging, entertaining content. Universal landed the film rights to Hulk and Namor in the early 2000s. If Marvel feels there is enough interest to justify a solo movie, they will definitely jump at the chance. In 2009, the CEO of Disney acknowledged the importance of Marvels intellectual property rights when Disney purchased Marvel. listeners: [], ", The aforementioned SEC deal with Paramount notes its distribution agreement "for an initial period of 15 years commencing on the initial Theatrical Exhibition of such Picture:", "6. Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger have all been acquired by Marvel Studios from Paramount. This isn't the main reason we haven't heard an announcement on Planet Hulk or any other Hulk movie, though. But that doesn't mean a solo movie won't ever happen. While the Hulk has existed in live-action since the late 1970s, Namor only recently made his debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Just because he's a supporting character, though, doesn't mean Hulk is being underserved. The most notable example of a theme park operator holding Marvel theme park rights is Universal Parks & Resorts, which operates two theme parks with Marvel-themed attractions: Universal Studios Florida and Universals Islands of Adventure. There has been speculation about a Marvel-themed park at Disney in the past, but nothing has come to fruition. The company is trying to overturn the decision of Marvel to grant Disney exclusive rights to the major Marvel Cinematic Universe characters. Contributing writer for Movieweb since 2001. Why Marvel Can't Make a Standalone MCU Hulk Movie, it's been proven that supposed leaks suggesting development were false, Why Marvel Put Planet Hulk in Thor: Ragnarok, Marvel wasn't able to wrangle Galactus and the Silver Surfer back from Fox, Bill Bixby/Lou Ferrigno The Incredible Hulk TV series, first refusal on distributing any Hulk films. Hulk movies are not proven at best, unpopular at worst. Some of the content presented on our sites has been provided by fans, other unofficial websites or online news sources, and is the sole responsibility of the source from which it was obtained. Universal currently owns distribution rights to any movie starring Hulk or Namor in the leading role, meaning they receive a significant share of the profits. You can visit Forbes for an even more in-depth account of what is going on with this Marvel title. Since the Marvel movies, Disney has earned more money from them than Universal. Regarding the Marvel Studios Spider-Man films, Disney pays Sony a licensing fee to use the character (Civil War, Homecoming, Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Far From Home) based on how each film performs at the box office. It has over 6,000 characters and is one of the worlds most valuable comic book franchises. That is exactly why Mark Ruffalo does not have a solo project of his own despite his character being so darn popular among even the most casual of moviegoers. For now, Marvel and Disney think the character works better as part of an ensemble. Best Little Sites is not liable for inaccuracies, errors, or omissions found herein. While it is unconfirmed if there will be a sequel to The Incredible Hulk or if rights are going to go to Disney, the SEC filing is the base of the rumor from The Direct that rights for The Hulk will be given to Disney. So, while they can't do anything active with the rights, should Marvel decide to make a Hulk movie Universal must be approached first. Hulk appearing as a secondary character in the MCU receives just as much attention as other main characters like Thor and Iron Man, as the solo Hulk film. A movie many fans hope is Planet Hulk. The deal between Universal and Disney is iron clad; however, it may have a time limit. The attractions will be located in Paris as part of Disneys park expansion, which will include the construction of its own Avengers Campus, where guests can meet and greet Marvel characters and enjoy on-theme restaurants such as the Pym Test Kitchen and the Ant-Man and The Wasp-themed Why did Disney sell Marvels rights to Marvel? The best course of action for Universal is to renew the contract for another 15 years and keep everything running smoothly. Never, Universal Studios permanently owns the distribution rights to any film in which Hulk portrays himself as the main character, as well as his related friends in his universe. However, also working against that are creative reasons as well as contractual. Site Map | This was typically Paramount, who released every film except Hulk up until The Avengers, by which point Disney had bought Marvel and set about distributing themselves. We also see why Disney never created any merchandise for the Fox Studios Marvel movies as they didnt want Fox getting a share of the revenue. Another has more recently been revealed to be Namor. Universal Studios Hollywood. While something vaguely similar happened with Spider-Man, there was a much clearer balance of rewards to either side. Disney paid $4 billion in 2009 for Marvel Entertainment, making it the largest acquisition in history. Phase three of the film series will begin with Captain America: Civil War, followed by Doctor Strange (2016) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. Disney has exclusive rights to Marvel theme parks through a deal between the two companies. A recent rumor has suggested that the solo film rights to the Hulk may be returning to Marvel Studios in 2023! The film would go on to gross $134 million in the United States and $264 million worldwide, bringing its total to $134 million. From growing up having favorite films like The Lion King and The Iron Giant to becoming a major Star Wars and MCU fan, Hollywood blockbusters are Lewis main interests. Why Bob Iger Returning to Disney May Be Bad for Marvel Fans. These deals with Sony and Universal are beneficial for Marvel but it stands to reason they would rather have all their characters under the same roof. Indie-made films and has learned to love film from all walks of life. These parks feature rides of the highest quality, in addition to Marvel movies long history with them. There hasn't been a Hulk solo movie since 2008, which is because the film rights are tied up with Universal Pictures. Thanks to the late co-creator of the Marvel Universe, cartoons and live-action series that featured Hulk, Spider-Man and Doctor Strange hit TV. Some people prefer action movies, while others might prefer comedies or dramas. All rights reserved. He's covered a wide range of movies and TV shows - from digging out obscure MCU Easter eggs to diving deep into deeper meanings of arthouse fare - and has covered a litany of set visits, junkets and film festivals. After being recast as Mark Ruffalo (a choice unrelated to rights issues - it was the result of Norton not wanting to return), Hulk's appeared in The Avengers, Iron Man 3's post-credits scene, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Thor: Ragnarok and will return in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4. In addition to Disney and Marvel, Universal has the first right to distribute the Hulk movies. Disney once again confirms they distribute all the Marvel-produced films except for The Incredible Hulk, which is distributed by Universal Pictures. Hulk will return in She-Hulk: Attorney at Lawwhen it premieres on August 18, exclusively on Disney+. The outlet added a comment from Marvel Studios producer Nate Moore who revealed the character had to be "borrowed" for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, just like the Hulk has been. A password reset link will be sent to you by email. A cunning warrior, the best star-pilot in the galaxy, and a good friend. Disney will only own Marvels parks if it acquires the rights to them from Universal. Growing older though, Lewis had a newfound love for smaller. RELATED: Only Two MCU Villains Have Made Hulk Bleed - and One of Them Is Dead. All logos and images used on this website are registered trademarks of their respective companies. Home | Geeks WorldWidepreviously reported in October 2021 thataWorld War Hulkmovie is in development with a 2022 production date, butupdates have since been scarce. At this time, it's believed that Marvel and Disney don't want to invest between $150-200 million in a solo superhero movie that isn't going to make a very large return like their other recent releases. Its just not a smart move. Screen Rant's Managing Editor, Alex Leadbeater has been covering film online since 2012 and been a permanent fixture of SR since 2016. This is also why the Hulk only appears in the various Marvel Studios movies as a supporting character, such as in The Avengers films or Thor: Ragnarok. This was the case with Universals film The Incredible Hulk, which was part of the MCU. However, as is known from the Hulk in the MCU since The Incredible Hulk, this is not to say Marvel Studios cannot use Hulk or Namor at all. This took a very meandering route to Ang Lee's Hulk in 2003, a film whose mixed reaction led to a muted sequel development period that ultimately saw the rights revert to Marvel in 2006, just as the studio was setting up the MCU. This is why the one truly successful outing for Hulk is the TV series, which by its nature focused on Banner's conflict and internal drama - things that are great for episodic TV but not really a big blockbuster movie. There are many different types of movies that people can enjoy. And as part of that negotiation process, Comcast -- relegating to a non-controlling shareholder with a 33% ownership stake -- gained the right, starting in 2024, to demand that Disney buy it out at a minimum Hulu valuation of $27.5 billion. In their 2018 financial report, Disney also confirms that Spider-Man is still licensed to Sony Pictures, and that the Fantastic Four and X-Men are currently with Fox Studios. But with Comcast's NBCUniversal controlling the two superheroes' distribution rights, Bazinet suggested a deal could be in the offing. Learn More. Disney will be able to make Marvel-based films with the deal. Fury of the Gods Special: Shazamily Matters, 10 Marvel Movies That Were Set Up To Fail, 10 Sci-Fi Films That Bombed At The Box Office But Became Cult Classics, Quantumania's MODOK Actor Defends His Ant-Man Role After Fan Backlash. RELATED: Why Bob Iger Returning to Disney May Be Bad for Marvel Fans. However, these SEC filings may be the strongest evidence yet that the rights will be changing hands next year. It has not been agreed to at this time, according to sources. Obviously, that makes their usage in the Marvel Cinematic Universe all the more tricky. New Movie News, Movie Trailers & upcoming Movie Reviews, Why Marvel's Complex Namor & Hulk Rights Mean They'll Never Get Solo Movies. } Mark Ruffalo has now played Bruce Banner in four movies (counting his cameo in Iron Man 3), yet none have been a full-on Hulk standalone - and that doesn't look like it'll change in future. Power was fully restored, the . With Marvel producer Nate Moore recently revealing that both still belong to Universal, it is unclear whether these rumors held any merit. Neither Disney nor Universals theme parks have a single ride that can be used by both. If Hulu is sold, Disney may use this as an opportunity to secure these distribution rights.". Growing up in the English countryside on a mixture of Star Wars, The Simpsons and Aardman, Alex is a lifelong movie obsessive. Marvel acquired the rights to the superhero theme park rights from Universal Studios in 1994. The Avengers film rights have only been licensed to Universal by the company. While Hollywood filmmaking will always be his most knowledgeable area, Lewis still enjoys anything in the world of filmmaking. The answer, it seems, dates back about 13 years to the start of the Disney and Marvel Studios relationship. What this means is Universal cannot make a Hulk movie, with Disney and Marvel unable to distribute a Hulk movie if they choose to move forward and make one. Based in London, he oversees a global news & features team based in NY, LA and beyond. Since the opening of Universals Islands of Adventure in 2001, fans of Marvel have found familiar characters there. The Incredible Hulk Coaster. The situation is that they didnt have much of an incentive to do somatically. Under the licensing arrangement for Spider-Man, the Company pays the third-party studio a licensing fee based on each films box office receipts, subject to specified limits. Reddit useru/vidoardesshared evidence that indicates Disney may regain the distribution rights to the Hulk in June 2023, allowing them to produce a new solo movie based on the green Avenger. Part of this comes from a tricky balance within the character's concept; while you have a big green monster for thrills, he only exists in a gulf of our actual protagonist. An SEC filing from 2006 notes Universal Studios' agreement to distributeThe Incredible Hulkunder the same terms as a similar deal with Paramount: "Universal Studios has agreed to distribute Marvels film The Incredible Hulk and sequels on essentially the same terms as those on which Paramount has agreed to distribute the other films financed and produced under the film facility. As part of any such package, the House of Mouse stands a chance tofinallyregain two key Marvel franchises. That may not seem like a big deal, but for investors, it sure would be. What To Expect From Hulk in Avengers 3 and 4, Ruffalo's contract originally ran for six movies, Why Marvel Movies Always Release A Week Later in The US, Why Obi-Wan Didnt Use Force Speed To Save Qui-Gon Jinn From Darth Maul, The New Mad Max Might Break A Decades Old Series Rule, Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania Broke The MCU's Threequel Rule. The Marvel brand is not permitted by Disney to be used in the licensing of Marvel content to U.S. theme parks. Universal seems unbending. In addition, Universal is still the owner of the rights to this character. When the Mouse bought Marvel, Disney and Universal went to war in the courts in order to free up not just film distribution rights but Marvel characters appearing in Universal's Orlando theme park. This situation is very similar to that of another longstanding MCU character: the Hulk. Besides Hulk, Namor, and Spider-Man, Disney owns the rights to almost every single character in Marvel Comics. According to Broussard, the Incredible Hulk was the clear winner when it came to placing second. Many fans have been wondering if this is true, and what is going on with the rights between Universal and Marvel. The Islands of Adventure at Universal Studios are now open, and Marvels Super Hero Island is available there. I would love to see another stand-alone Hulk film, but it just doesnt seem likely. For those who don't know, the film rights to everyone's favorite big, green, rage monster are complicated. From Wikipedia: 'In 2012, Marvel Entertainment CCO Joe Quesada believed Namor's rights had reverted to Marvel, but Feige said in August 2013 this was not so. Captain America: Civil War takes place six decades before the Marvel Cinematic Universe debuted. However, a stipulation with Hulk's rights allows Marvel to use the Hulk in its movies, albeit only in team-ups. Warning: This article contains spoilers for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Of course, this hasn't prevented Marvel from giving Hulk a multi-film arc in the MCU, similar to those for characters like Iron Man, Captain America, and Black Widow. When Disney bought Marvel, Universals contract to use Marvel characters expired, and they were forced to close the attraction. Disney (DIS) might let go of Hulu in favor of the Hulk, at least according to one media analyst. Despite a brief jaunt in Mathematics at Durham University, film writing was always his calling. That's still Universal . Worth a mention is that the Fantastic Four and X-Men will be returning to Marvel-Disney once the Disney-Fox deal goes through which could be within the next month or two. These movies are full of action, adventure, comedy, and drama, and they always leave audiences wanting more. For removal of copyrighted images, trademarks, or other issues, Contact Us. The Greater World Wrestling organization will soon release a new Hulk series entitled World War Hulk.. Hulk Movie Rights Explained, Solo Movie Still Years Away, 10 Movies That Were Rated R for Basically No Reason, 10 Greatest Classic Movies of All Time, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes, 15 Critically Panned Movies that Somehow Got Sequels. The last we heard on the matter came from Mark Ruffalo, who pointed the finger squarely at Universal not playing nice with Marvel. AsThe Incredible Hulkhit theaters in June 2008, the 15-year period indicates Disney will regain distribution rights to the character in June 2023, at which point Marvel Studios would be able to begin production on a Hulk movie that Disney themselves would distribute. / All Rights Reserved, Write for Us Movies, Entertainment, Comics, The Complicated Relationship Between Marvel And Universal, https://veryimgs.veryaware.com/1661323847200.jpg, https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a5aed50578738cfe85dcdca1b09bd179?s=96&d=mm&r=g. Spider-Man is one of the Marvel Villains on hand, so dont miss out on the chance to meet him. Disney consolidated Fox and Warner's ownership in the Hulu joint venture in 2019. In 2018, Disney generated $20.3 billion in revenue, while Universal Theme Parks generated $5.7 billion. While Marvel Studios is able to include The Hulk and Namor in movies, they've been restricted from releasing solo outings due to Universal holding those rights. Of course, the comics moved beyond this in the 1960s, but culturally that is where Hulk's been, and it's only really in Ragnarok where his autonomy is presented. Here Universal's the only ones who win. } At the same time, Universal retains "the right of first refusal to distribute any future solo Hulk movies," which accounts for the lack of a second Hulk solo movie in the MCU. window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { While both are highly expected to be important to the MCU's future, they will only be able to be used in the way Hulk has been thus far. The film was Universal Pictures' second attempt at a Hulk film after the critical and commercial disappointment of Ang Lee's 2003 film. Avengers Campus is named after the city of Tokyo (the location of Avengers Theme Park). Prior to the Companys acquisition of Marvel in fiscal year 2010, Marvel had licensed the rights to third-party studios to produce and distribute feature films based on certain Marvel properties including Spider-Man (licensed to Sony Pictures Entertainment), The Fantastic Four (licensed to 21CF) and X-Men (licensed to 21CF). A consistently evolving entertainment industry landscape where Marvel is the biggest game in town means the only certainty is that one can never say never. acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney, Laal Singh Chaddha (2022): The Disastrous Adaptation of Tom Hanks Forrest Gump, Spidey And His Amazing Friends Season Premier at Battery Park, Ryan Cooglers Thank You Letter To Fans Is Making Me Emotional All Over Again. With the acquisition of Marvel in 2004, Disney increased its popularity even further among people who do not read comic books. A recent report from The Wrap revealed that Universal still holds the rights to both Hulk and Namor, placing limitations on their use in the MCU. So Universal has no claim at all to the. As we said at the start, Hulk isn't the most popular of the main Avengers. The first installment of his superhero fiction book, TALES OF ADVENTURE & FANTASY, is available on Amazon in print and ebook! Disney would distribute a Hulk movie to Marvel Studios, allowing the studio to begin production. The future of both the Hulk and Namor rest solely on Universal. Disney and Marvel still hold the rights to develop movies starring the Hulk, but Universal has the first refusal opportunityto distribute the project and takes a significant chunk of the profits. The relationship between Marvel and Universal is complicated, to say the least. The acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney in 2019 brought home several big Marvel characters such as The X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Deadpool among others. And Marvel/Disney have recently entered an agreement to partner with Sony on a new Spider-Man reboot that will be distributed by Sony Pictures. The Hulk franchise even introduced the "shared universe" concept, with Thor and Daredevil showing up in those shows. The Incredible Hulk barely improved on that half a decade later, making $263M in a year when Iron Man brought in $585M and The Dark Knight topped $1B (this was when hitting that mark was a major achievement). Marvel Studios has finally explained its Hulk movie deal with Universal Pictures and how it affects the character's role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. To say Marvel Studios is unlikely to work with Universal to distribute a solo MCU film might be stating the obvious. However, unlike most other reacquisitions where the creator gets the character back outright, with Hulk Universal still has a clause - seemingly in perpetuity - of first refusal on distributing any Hulk films. If, or when, Universal chooses to forgo distribution, Disney will immediately pick up those distribution rights for a solo Hulk movie. callback: cb Marvel characters were licensed to Universal Studios in 1994. Dragon Ball Z Characters Who Could Defeat Superman. An SECfiling from 2006 notes Universal Studios' agreement to distribute The Incredible Hulk under the same terms as a similar deal with Paramount: So, any Hulk or Namor solo film would become the property of Universal. The most important verbiage is that Universal owns the rights to Marvel "in perpetuity"; meaning for as long as the contract is in good standing. But while these two Marvel icons are the studios' intellectual property, a distribution rights deal with Universal for those characters' films with Marvel Studios existed before the Mouse moved into the House of Ideas. The Hulk deal between Marvel and Universal is explained in-depth, with no standalone movie planned for the immediate future. All of that makes a Hulk movie a tricky prospect. However, as Marvel Studios have not yet made any effort to do so despite Mark Ruffalo's Hulk being such an integral MCU character, it is unlikely to happen. The Company distributes all Marvel-produced films with the exception of The Incredible Hulk, which is distributed by Universal Pictures. ); Neither of the films got great attention either; The Incredible Hulk is one of the worst reviewed of the entire MCU and is often forgotten when it comes to full-franchise assessment.
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