Since 2008, Marvel Studios has also acquired the rights to Ghost Rider, Blade, Daredevil, and a slew of others. } Since the Marvel movies, Disney has earned more money from them than Universal. He works better when surrounded by a team, with the character not having to shoulder a whole movie on his own. The actual Hulk character had limited screen time in the first two standalone movies, with Bruce Banner involved in much of the action. Yet, over time, the rights to characters came back to Marvel from studios like New Line and Paramount. . 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. User Vidoardes on Reddit posted some interesting findings regarding the deal that indicate it may end in June of 2023. Marvel Studios and Sony have mutually terminated their Spider-Man franchise. Despicable Me Minion Mayhem: Must be 40 inches (102 cm) tall. Doctor Doom and the Green Goblin are also on hand. 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. But if Disney can partner with Sony for Spider-Man and buy 20th Century Fox outright for the Fantastic Four and the mutants, why can't it and Universal get their acts together? There appears to . The ensembles allow the character to show his strengths, and not focus on the weaknesses that would come out in a movie devoted solely to Hulk. There hasn't been a Hulk solo movie since 2008, which is because the film rights are tied up with Universal Pictures. 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. As Mark Ruffalo, who took over playing Bruce Banner/Hulk from Edward Norton after The Incredible Hulk, explained in 2017, Marvel Studios President/Chief Creative Officer Kevin Feige "pulled me aside before [Thor: Ragnarok], and said, If you were gonna do a if we were going to do a standalone Hulk movie, what would it be?" After Ruffalo told Feige what he had in mind, his ideas were integrated into not only Ragnarokbut also Infinity War and Endgame. As part of any such package, the House of Mouse stands a chance tofinallyregain two key Marvel franchises. There are also Marvel villains such as Doctor Doom and the Green Goblin. Also, given that Namor can be used as part of an ensemble, the character could make appearances in upcoming films like Avengers: The Kang Dynasty or Avengers: Secret Wars alongside the likely inclusion of Hulk in both. Is Superman Gay? This may come as a shock to new age readers but no, Marvel Studios does not actually have the movie rights to The Hulk. HULK Star Josh Lucas Has Nothing But Good Things To Say About Ang Lee's Divisive Marvel Movie While Marvel Studios is able to include The Hulk and Namor in movies, they've been restricted from. According to a 2002 report, Walt Disney was in talks to purchase archrival Universal. A cunning warrior, the best star-pilot in the galaxy, and a good friend. 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. Sure, anything could happen if the deal ends, but whats most likely is they just renew the deal. Throughout the day, various Spider-Man and Marvel merchandise will be available for purchase. So, while Disney owns the rights to the characters Namor and the Hulk, Marvel's pre-existing deal with Universal locks down the distribution rights, possibly in perpetuity. 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. Geeks WorldWidepreviously reported in October 2021 thataWorld War Hulkmovie is in development with a 2022 production date, butupdates have since been scarce. The best course of action for Universal is to renew the contract for another 15 years and keep everything running smoothly. Big changes have been taking place behind the scenes at Disney ever since Bob Iger returned as CEO, with one popular theory being that the company will sell its 67% stake in Hulu. Children 40-48 inches (102-122 cm) must be . A film starring Hulk was first floated in 1990, with Universal having bought the movie rights. 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. Disney intends to regain distribution rights to the character within 15 years, according to the 15-year period. Black Panther: Wakanda Foreverwill introduce the Atlantean ruler, played by Tenoch Huerta, but his MCU future remains up in the air as of now. However, these SEC filings may be the strongest evidence yet that the rights will be changing hands next year. 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. RELATED: Why Were the Hulk's Pants Always Purple? College of the Canyons - 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, California, USA. Distribution Term: Paramount shall have the right to exercise its Paramount Distribution Rights with respect to each Picture for an initial period of 15 years commencing on the initial Theatrical Exhibition of such Picture (the Initial Distribution Term). 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. It requires going against an ingrained idea and barreling into something more psychological than the MCU structure allows. Ang Lee's Hulk made $245M at the worldwide box office, a fair enough sum for the time that saw it pretty much break even, but considerably lower than X-Men 2's $407M that same summer and well below Spider-Man's $821M a year earlier. Thiswould ultimately be a very small part of any deal, but outside of combining Disney+ and Hulu,a potential sale - the streamer is valued between$19.8 billion and $27.5 billion - has the potential to add as much $13 to stock prices. The Controversial Comic Book Reveal, 5 Superhero Games You Should Download Today. Disneys $71 billion purchase of 21st Century Fox in March 2019 is the largest acquisition in history. The deal between Universal and Disney is iron clad; however, it may have a time limit. In recent years, it has been widely speculated as to why Disney and Marvel Entertainment havent worked together on a Marvel-themed theme park. Universal Pictures has the rights to produce and distribute a Hulk movie under a deal it struck with Marvel. Children 40-48 inches (102-122 cm) must be accompanied by a supervising companion (14 years or older). Namor can be used in the same manner as the Hulk in the MCU, namely as part of an ensemble, antagonistic role, or cameo. Beyond opening the doors to Hulk taking on a bigger role, Marvel Studios may finally be able to give Namor his own solo movie. While something vaguely similar happened with Spider-Man, there was a much clearer balance of rewards to either side. 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. Community Guidelines | It is impossible for Universal to make a standalone for the Hulk as opposed to a Marvel film because the studio owns the rights to the character. The Marvel Universe is home to some of the most iconic characters in pop culture. You can visit Forbes for an even more in-depth account of what is going on with this Marvel title. Marvel Entertainments acquisition by Universal is a significant acquisition for the company because it enters a highly competitive market for comic books and movies. At least that would give Namor the freedom Hulk never had. In addition to Disney and Marvel, Universal has the first right to distribute the Hulk movies. Superman & Lois: The Third Seasons Villains Revealed! Marvel Studios has also been reported to bedeveloping aWorld War Hulkmovie following on from the events of Disney+'sShe-Hulkwith plans to shoot this year for a late 2023 or early 2024 release. Shocking Facts About Casino Real Story, Homemade Smoothie Recipes You Need to Try This Season, Lupita Nyongo is headed to A Quiet Place, Elevate Your Movie Nights with These Affordable Home Theater Upgrades. What this means is Universal cannot make a Hulk. If Hulu is sold, Disney may use this as an opportunity to secure these distribution rights.". Lewis Glazebrook is a Senior Features writer for Screen Rant. Although Marvel has the rights to Hulk back, it is unable to release a standalone Hulk movie thanks to . Marvel Studios finally explains its Hulk movie deal with Universal Pictures and how it affects the character's role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. All rights reserved. The Avengers film rights have only been licensed to Universal by the company. Marvel and Sony Strike a Deal in 1998 to License the Film Rights to Spider-Man and 900 Related Characters Back when superheroes were still in their infancy, Sony and Marvel struck a deal to license the film rights to Spider-Man and 900 related characters. For those who don't know, the film rights to everyone's favorite big, green, rage monster are complicated. But they did not obtain the distribution rights, which Universal still has today. However, Marvel could attempt to regain the rights to the characters for Phase 5 and beyond. These parks feature rides of the highest quality, in addition to Marvel movies long history with them. The film production company is a joint venture between Disney and Marvel. In recent years, Marvel has been trying to get the rights to its characters back from Universal, but has had little success. The Incredible Hulk was the second film in the MCU, released just one month after Iron Man. In an interview covered by The Wrap, a Wall Street analyst for Citi, Jason Bazinet, predicted that terms agreed to in Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox and its assets in 2019 could lead to the return of the rights for two wayward Marvel superheroes: Hulk and Namor. If, or when, Universal chooses to forgo distribution, Disney will immediately pick up those distribution rights for a solo Hulk movie. The last we heard on the matter came from Mark Ruffalo, who pointed the finger squarely at Universal not playing nice with Marvel. 7 Fantastic Animes You Need to be Watching Right Now. So, any Hulk or Namor solo film would become the property of Universal. The company is trying to overturn the decision of Marvel to grant Disney exclusive rights to the major Marvel Cinematic Universe characters. Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. Disney would distribute a Hulk movie to Marvel Studios, allowing the studio to begin production. Disney and Marvel made Iron Man 2 with Paramount distributing the movie. Avengers Campus is named after the city of Tokyo (the location of Avengers Theme Park). Its speculated that either storyline would cost over $200 million. As we said at the start, Hulk isn't the most popular of the main Avengers. . Marvel movies are based on comic books that were first published in the 1930s. There is another rumor of Marvel Studios developing a World War Hulk movie following events from She Hulk. These are not included under Universals Hulk rights. This situation is very similar to that of another longstanding MCU character: the Hulk. Home | VeryAware document.write( new Date().getFullYear() ); But with Comcast's NBCUniversal controlling the two superheroes' distribution rights, Bazinet suggested a deal could be in the offing. While Marvel Studios have the rights to use Hulk and Namor in their films to whatever extent they please, releasing a solo film is more complicated due to Universal owning distribution rights. A sale that adds $13 to each of those puts roughly an extra $6.5 million in his pocket! Spider-Man, Captain America, Cyclops, Wolverine, Storm, and Rogue are just a few of the Marvel heroes and villains you can meet at the theme park. This may come as a disappointment to many, who wish for a Namor solo film after his fantastic debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. 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. While Disney and Marvel hold rights to develop movies starring The Hulk, Universal and Marvel reached an agreement in June 2008 to distribute The Incredible Hulk.. Index | "While Disney owns all Marvel IP, Universal has distribution rights to Hulk and Namor," the analyst wrote. It has not been agreed to at this time, according to sources. The opportunity to expand on Disneys involvement in the Marvel universe is one of the most promising things to come. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. Paramount also distributed the first Iron Man, Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor. The Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ending established that Namor was almost using Wakanda to gain his long-awaited war on the surface world, meaning he could potentially appear in an antagonistic role again in a future Black Panther film. Under the licensing arrangements, the third-party studios incur the costs to produce and distribute the films, and the Company retains the merchandise licensing rights. As his antagonistic nature was established in Wakanda Forever, Namor will likely be used in this capacity again. Contributing writer for Movieweb since 2001. Although his comics have never really sold well - the original run was canceled after only six issues, with the character only surviving thanks to his Avengers association - Hulk is one Marvel's biggest icons, thanks in no small part to the Bill Bixby/Lou Ferrigno The Incredible Hulk TV series. Especially if Marvel and Disney go the Planet Hulk route. Learn More. No standalone Hulk film has been in the works since 2008's The Incredible Hulk, which they produced. Universal Orlando Resort. Exploring The Possibility Of Superman Growing Up With Parents: What Could Have Been? Forbes has a new report explaining the movie rights shared between the two studios, and what it means for a standalone sequel with Hulk at the center. These movies are full of action, adventure, comedy, and drama, and they always leave audiences wanting more. In short, Marvel signed a contract with MCA Inc., which owned the Universal Studios theme parks at the time, before Disney acquired it. Both Planet Hulk and the long rumored World War Hulk would be incredibly expensive to pull off on the big screen the right way. 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. Disneys contract with Universal likely expires in a few years, so the company will most likely build their own Marvel-themed park. event : evt, Forbes offers three reasons for Marvel and Disney not committing to a new Hulk movie. 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. Disney CEO Bob Iger assured shareholders in 2009 that Marvels acquisition would not be jeopardized. Back then, Marvel Entertainment were an independent company and so the Studios operated as just production, working with outside distributors. The problem isn't really story, but practical: Marvel can't make a Hulk solo film.It's been a staggering nine years since The Incredible Hulk and despite talk of a direct follow-up or tangential solo outing for Bruce Banner and his enraged alter ego, none have come to pass; it's been proven that supposed leaks suggesting development were false and Marvel Studios has repeatedly said it's off the cards, with Thor: Ragnarok even delivering on long-desired standalone outing Planet Hulk. Yet, now that Bob Iger is back in charge of Disney, maybe he can complete his Marvel Comics collection and work out a new deal. In 2021, Lewis graduated from university with a Film and TV Studies degree, earning First Class Honours. In 2018, Disney generated $20.3 billion in revenue, while Universal Theme Parks generated $5.7 billion. Disney will be able to make Marvel-based films with the deal.