Credit: ITMSpider-Man has been a culture-defining character who became the champion for Marvel Comics, the superhero genre, and co-creator Stan Lee’s saving grace. The wall-crawling hero has captivated an unending fanbase for over 60 years not only due to his unique superpowers but also his relatable “every man” backstory. He was not a billionaire playboy philanthropist, a super soldier, or a god of thunder. Peter Parker was just a brilliant yet socially awkward teen from Queens who was doing his best to survive the struggles of life within the rapid pacing of New York.
The character would become the figurehead of the superhero film genre with Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy. The Web-Slinger would eventually be reinvented again with a two-movie reboot starring Andrew Garfield in the 2010s. Since Sony Pictures could only maintain ownership of the Web-Head if they continued to make Spidey movies every few years, the franchise was reimagined once more. Tom Holland became the next Peter Parker. Yet, his legacy became forever interwoven with the other Spider-Men with the smash hit Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).
While Spider-Man is arguably Marvel’s most popular and successful superhero, another character has rivaled him amongst the fanbase, the comics, and the movies. Despite the success of Raimi’s Spider-Man, it was not the first to kickoff the superhero blockbusters in the 2000s. Bryan Singer’s X-Men (2000) was the first to create a blockbuster franchise. The series comprised of a stacked ensemble cast, but Hugh Jackman’s portrayal of Wolverine was often the centerpiece in almost every X-Men film.
Unlike Spider-Man, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine became so synonymous with the stab-happy mutant, that Jackman has continued to reprise the role for over two decades. The achievements of these two massive franchises created an ever-growing generational fandom who wanted to experience these characters in every visual medium. Their fame would soon bring in a built-in fanbase within the video game industry.
Marvel’s Spider-Man (2018) was a colossal hit for Insomniac Games as they went on to sell over 33 million copies, which equated to almost $2 billion. The sequel, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 for the PS5 is expected to exceed its top-selling predecessor. Since the sequel’s release last week, fans have flooded the internet with overwhelming commentary, observations and questions. Fortunately, Insomniac Games answered one of the biggest questions this week.
Spider-Man will not be the sole Marvel hero in Insomniac’s sights as they announced earlier this year their details to make a Wolverine video game. Many fans were overjoyed with the news, but wondered if the two Marvel legends existed in the same universe considering they were being developed by the same company and featured a similar visual style.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 creative director, Bryan Intihar, confirmed recently this fan theory by stating, “They’re all 1048.” The number was a reference to the Earth in which these characters exist. Intihar elaborated why the company chose not to tease their co-existence in the game. He disclosed, “There was a decision not to do it…I think for us it’s like ‘let’s just let that [Wolverine creative] team cook.’ Let them cook. Let them make the game they want to make.”
Intihar’s statement has led to speculation that the company will wait until the Wolverine game series is critically received, before enacting any plans for a potential team up. Even so, their existence within the same universe has set the stage for a legendary collaboration that has yet to be seen in the cinematic franchises.
What do you think of Inithar’s comments? Should Insomniac eventually make a video game where the two heroes join forces?