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Credit: Inside the MagicMarvel fans hoping to see Spider-Man in upcoming live-action Disney+ series have received a disappointing update. Brad Winderbaum, a top executive at Marvel Studios, has confirmed that Tom Holland’s version of Spider-Man will not be appearing in any live-action shows on Disney’s streaming platform.
The reason? Sony holds exclusive long-form television rights for the beloved character, which means any live-action series featuring Spider-Man is off the table.
In a recent interview, Winderbaum clarified the situation, stating that while Marvel Studios is still free to feature Spider-Man in animated shows, these can only be 30-minute episodes. “Sony holds the long-form television rights, but we can do 30-minute animation,” he explained.
This means that while Spider-Man might show up in Marvel’s animated projects on Disney+, live-action fans will have to wait until his next big-screen appearance to see him swing into action.
For fans eager to see Spider-Man share the screen with other MCU heroes in live-action, this news comes as a major letdown. However, it’s not all bad news. Animated Spider-Man content within the MCU is still a possibility, which will offer an exciting alternative to his live-action absence on Disney+.
While the live-action series may be off the table for now, Spider-Man’s animated adventures may still find their place in the MCU’s broader narrative.
The legal and business intricacies behind Spider-Man’s film and television rights are anything but simple.
For years, the character’s future in film and TV has been shaped by a complicated web of agreements, beginning in the late 1990s when Marvel Comics was struggling financially and sold off the film rights to many of its characters—including Spider-Man.
In 1999, Sony Pictures struck a deal with Marvel to acquire the rights to make Spider-Man films. At the time, Marvel wasn’t the multi-billion-dollar entity it is today, and selling the film rights to Spider-Man made financial sense.
In exchange, Sony was granted the exclusive right to produce Spider-Man films, while Marvel retained certain rights, including ownership of the character’s comic books and merchandise.
Why Marvel Doesn’t Own Spider-Man
Despite Marvel’s extraordinary success with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in the years that followed, the company never regained control of Spider-Man’s film rights. Sony’s deal, finalized in the late 1990s, was far-reaching and ensured that the rights would remain in Sony’s hands for decades.
The deal gave Sony not only the right to make Spider-Man films but also a broad range of associated rights, including merchandise and home video distribution.
The key distinction, however, was that Sony did not acquire the television rights, which remained with Marvel. This was a crucial part of Marvel’s business strategy in the 1990s, as they were attempting to sell off rights to various properties in order to stay afloat while still holding onto certain key aspects of those characters.
Most recently, 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
The Symbiotic Partnership Between Sony and Marvel Studios
The relationship between Sony and Marvel took an important turn in 2015 when the two companies reached an unprecedented agreement to share the Spider-Man character. This arrangement allowed Spider-Man to appear in the MCU without Marvel gaining control of the character’s film rights. Instead, Sony continued to produce Spider-Man’s solo films, while Marvel Studios had creative oversight.
This deal allowed Spider-Man to be part of key MCU films like Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019), while still being featured in Sony’s standalone Spider-Man films, starting with Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017).
This unique collaboration benefited both parties—Marvel was able to integrate Spider-Man into their cinematic universe, while Sony was able to produce films featuring the character with Marvel’s creative guidance.
The Financials: A Unique Deal Structure
The deal between Sony and Marvel allowed both studios to profit from Spider-Man’s success. Marvel Studios received a cut of the box-office earnings from Spider-Man’s solo films, specifically 5% of the revenue from Homecoming (2017) and Far From Home (2019). Sony, on the other hand, retained the lion’s share of the box office profits, including income from merchandise, home video sales, and other revenue streams.
Marvel’s involvement in the Spider-Man films went beyond financial compensation; it also included providing creative input. Kevin Feige, the president of Marvel Studios, played an essential role in shaping the direction of Spider-Man’s solo films and ensuring that they remained in line with the broader MCU narrative.
This collaboration resulted in a seamless integration of Spider-Man into the larger MCU storyline while also allowing Sony to maintain creative control over the character’s standalone films.
The Fallout of 2019: A Temporary Break in the Deal
Despite the early success of the partnership, things began to unravel in 2019. After Spider-Man: Far From Homebecame a box office hit, discussions about the financial terms of the deal started to sour. Reports indicated that Disney/Marvel wanted a 50/50 revenue split from the Spider-Man films, while Sony was unwilling to budge and wanted to maintain a greater share of the profits.
This disagreement led to a brief but intense period of uncertainty, with rumors circulating that Spider-Man would be removed from the MCU entirely. Fans were outraged at the prospect of losing one of the franchise’s most beloved characters, and the media backlash was fierce.
However, after several weeks of negotiation, a new agreement was reached in September 2019. This revised deal allowed Spider-Man to remain part of the MCU while Sony continued to handle his solo films.
Where We Stand Today: Sony Still Controls Spider-Man’s Fate
As it stands, Sony remains the sole rights holder to Spider-Man’s film adaptations, while Marvel Studios continues to contribute creatively to the character’s arc within the MCU. The arrangement is one of the most complex in the history of Hollywood, with both companies benefiting from the shared use of Spider-Man.
However, Marvel does not control Spider-Man’s future in terms of films or television. Sony has made it clear that it plans to continue producing Spider-Man films, while also expanding the “Spider-Man Universe” with projects like Venom (2018), Morbius (2022), and other spin-offs.
For the time being, Spider-Man will continue to appear in MCU films, with no indication that the character will be leaving anytime soon. However, the situation with Spider-Man’s television rights—particularly the exclusion of his live-action presence on Disney+—remains a significant issue for fans hoping to see more of the character in TV series.
The presence of Spider-Man in animated series is still a possibility, but for now, his live-action role in the Disney+ shows will remain limited.
The ongoing relationship between Sony and Marvel Studios remains one of the most unique in the world of modern cinema, with Spider-Man’s future remaining a shared responsibility between the two companies. While the MCU continues to thrive with Spider-Man as a major player, the fact remains that Sony controls the character’s fate in the world of film and television.