Sony Plans Spider-Man Reboot Amid Box Office Woes

Sony Pictures is set to launch a "fresh reboot" of its Spider-Man universe, as confirmed by chairman and CEO Tom Rothman. This strategic shift follows a period of significant box office disappointments for the franchise, with the exception of the "Venom" films. Rothman stated that "scarcity has value" and the studio aims to make the audience miss the characters.

Rothman also confirmed that "Spider-Man: No Way Home" was banned in China. The film's climax, set at the Statue of Liberty, was the reason for the ban, making it impossible to edit and release in the country. Despite this exclusion, the movie achieved a global box office of $1.9 billion, a figure Rothman considers to be over $2 billion mentally due to the lost Chinese market.

The live-action Spider-Man films have struggled with both critical reception and financial performance. While "Venom" (2018) was a success with $856 million globally, subsequent films like "Morbius" (2022), "Madame Web" (2024), and "Kraven the Hunter" (2024) experienced significant underperformance, with "Kraven the Hunter" earning only $60 million against a substantial production budget.

In related comments, Rothman expressed admiration for Marvel boss Kevin Feige, drawing a parallel to acclaimed director James Cameron. He advised never to bet against either of them, highlighting their consistent success in the industry.