Fans of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man looking forward to seeing their favorite web-slinger in future live-action Disney+ shows are in for some disappointing news. According to Brad Winderbaum, a prominent executive at Marvel Studios, Spider-Man will not be making an appearance in any live-action television series within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). This news has left fans wondering what’s behind the decision, and the answer is straightforward: Sony retains the long-form television rights to Spider-Man.
This deal means that Sony holds the exclusive right to feature Spider-Man in live-action TV series, preventing Marvel Studios from including him in future Disney+ projects. However, Winderbaum did offer some glimmer of hope for fans, revealing that Spider-Man could still appear in animated shows, but those will be limited to 30-minute episodes. “Sony holds the long-form television rights, we can do 30-minute animation,” Winderbaum clarified.
Screentime shared on X, “Marvel Exec Brad Winderbaum confirms Spider-Man can't appear in Disney+ live-action shows
“They [Sony] have long-form television rights… he can do like 30 minute animation”
Marvel Exec Brad Winderbaum confirms Spider-Man can't appear in Disney+ live-action shows
“They [Sony] have long-form television rights… he can do like 30 minute animation”
(via: @PhaseHero) pic.twitter.com/56VXFygaIh
— ScreenTime (@screentime) February 24, 2025
For many, the possibility of seeing Spider-Man swing into action in live-action series alongside other MCU heroes seemed like an exciting future. Unfortunately, Sony’s control over the character’s television rights means that we’ll have to wait for more major movie releases before we see Holland’s Spider-Man on-screen again. That said, fans of animated content can still look forward to seeing Spider-Man in the MCU’s animated series.
The Story Behind Sony’s Control Over Spider-Man
To understand why Spider-Man cannot be part of Marvel’s live-action television series, we need to take a closer look at the history and legal battles surrounding the character’s rights. Unlike many other Marvel superheroes, Spider-Man’s movie and television rights were not retained by Marvel Studios. Instead, Sony holds exclusive rights to the character for live-action adaptations.
This entire saga dates back to the late 1990s, a period when Marvel Comics was facing serious financial challenges. In order to raise capital, Marvel sold off the movie rights to a number of its most famous characters, including Spider-Man. In 1999, Sony acquired the exclusive film rights to Spider-Man, which meant that only Sony could produce movies and television series based on the character. Marvel retained the rights to the Spider-Man comics, but Sony had control over everything related to Spider-Man’s on-screen presence in live-action formats.
The agreement allowed Sony to create a series of Spider-Man films, including the successful Sam Raimi-directed trilogy, starting with the 2002 film Spider-Man. As a result, Spider-Man became one of the most commercially successful superheroes, with Sony continuing to produce films throughout the 2000s and 2010s.
Marvel and Sony’s Agreement: A Unique Partnership
Although Sony has maintained control over Spider-Man for years, the relationship between Sony and Marvel Studios underwent a major transformation in 2015. Recognizing the potential for Spider-Man to play a larger role within the MCU, the two companies entered into a groundbreaking agreement that allowed the character to appear in MCU films, while Sony continued to control the standalone Spider-Man movies.
This deal allowed Spider-Man to appear in films like Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War(2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019), while still having his own solo films produced by Sony. In exchange, Marvel Studios provided creative input and oversight, ensuring Spider-Man’s character was consistent with the tone and direction of the MCU.
This partnership worked well for both studios. Marvel gained the ability to feature Spider-Man in their massive MCU storylines, while Sony retained the creative control and financial benefits of Spider-Man’s solo films. Under the terms of the deal, Marvel and Disney were entitled to a small percentage of the profits from the solo films, while Sony kept the bulk of the earnings, including merchandise revenue and home video sales.
Related: Marvel and Sony Scrap ‘Spider-Man 4’ Release Date
The Financial Back-and-Forth: Tensions and Deal Breakdown
The partnership between Sony and Marvel continued until 2019 when a significant rift emerged. After the immense success of Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), both studios began to argue over the financial terms of their agreement. Sources indicated that Disney wanted a more equitable 50/50 revenue split, which would have given them a larger share of the box-office profits from future Spider-Man films. Sony, however, was unwilling to agree to this demand, as they had already been receiving a larger share of the profits.
This disagreement led to reports that Spider-Man would be leaving the MCU entirely, which sent fans into a frenzy. However, after a brief period of tension, a new deal was reached in September 2019, allowing Spider-Man to remain part of the MCU. Under the new agreement, Sony would continue to produce Spider-Man films, but Marvel would have creative input and Spider-Man could still appear in future MCU films.
The Current Situation: Sony Still Holds the Reins
Today, the situation remains largely the same. Sony still holds the exclusive rights to Spider-Man’s films and live-action television appearances. While Marvel Studios has creative control over his integration into the MCU, it’s important to note that they do not own the character in the traditional sense.
This unique partnership between Sony and Marvel Studios has allowed Spider-Man to remain a prominent figure within the MCU, without Marvel ever gaining full ownership of the character. In addition to Spider-Man’s film appearances, Sony has also expanded the Spider-Man universe through spin-off films like Venom (2018) and Morbius (2022), which are set in the same universe but outside the MCU.
While Spider-Man’s live-action appearances on Disney+ are off the table for now due to Sony’s control over the television rights, his future within the MCU is still bright. Fans can still look forward to his appearances in major MCU films, and with the ever-expanding Spider-Man universe, there will undoubtedly be more opportunities for the character to shine.
As for his television presence, fans will have to be patient. While Marvel Studios is limited in their ability to use Spider-Man in live-action TV series, the possibility of animated Spider-Man content remains a viable and exciting alternative. However, if you're hoping to see the character team up with the Avengers or other MCU heroes in live-action on Disney+, you might have to wait a little longer.
The future of Spider-Man remains uncertain in some areas, but one thing is for sure: as long as Sony and Marvel Studios continue their partnership, Spider-Man will remain an integral part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, even if his live-action TV appearances are on hold for now.
