If, or when, Universal chooses to forgo distribution, Disney will immediately pick up those distribution rights for a solo Hulk movie. The Incredible Hulk was the second film in the MCU, released just one month after Iron Man. You may have also seen/heard him on the Total Geekall podcast, unaffiliated YouTube channels, BBC Radio and CBC News. User Vidoardes on Reddit posted some interesting findings regarding the deal that indicate it may end in June of 2023. The Incredible Hulk - Owned By Universal. 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. Things getcomplicated here as The Wrap's report begins getting into the financial complications such a deal would involve. Despite Disneys purchase of Marvel Entertainment, the studio continued to produce Marvel films. Ruffalo explained the situation in a new interview with Collider: "As far as a Hulk movie, a standalone Hulk movie, Marvel doesn't really have the rights to that yet. Universal owns distribution rights, which means they have the right of "first refusal" to any Hulk film. You can see the excerpt from the SEC filings below: 6. Disney consolidated Fox and Warner's ownership in the Hulu joint venture in 2019. About | Incidents at Universal parks - Wikipedia Now, it could be simply the company wasn't going to give up their ability to call on the powerful clause rather than actual disagreement, but it's clear the whole situation comes down to that. ); Both Namor and the Incredible Hulk are characters Disney owns the rights to use in stories, films or television. The second reason is that Hulk has proven to be quite popular in Marvel's The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron. Marvel Super Hero Island is part of Universals Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida. Fans of Marvel Comics' history know that the effort to get its characters on TV and into the movies was decades in the making and pioneered by Stan Lee. The Controversial Comic Book Reveal, 5 Superhero Games You Should Download Today. Well, unfortunately, probably not. Citi analyst Jason Bazinet explains, "While Disney owns all Marvel IP, Universal has distribution rights to Hulk and Namor. on: function(evt, cb) { Either party may terminate the contract; however, Marvel must have a legitimate, legal reason to why the contract is void (poor upkeep, not upholding the quality of the IP, etc.) Since then, there have been 22 movies released in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with more planned for the future. This follows how Hulk has been utilized in the MCU. There may be a more antagonistic side to this as well. The Hulk Surely Marvel owns The Hulk! The opportunity to expand on Disneys involvement in the Marvel universe is one of the most promising things to come. Growing older though, Lewis had a newfound love for smaller. And both films failed to break even against their budget. Forbes offers three reasons for Marvel and Disney not committing to a new Hulk movie. These movies are full of action, adventure, comedy, and drama, and they always leave audiences wanting more. Site Map | The company could be waiting for Universal to terminate before making a decision on their future. Nope, The Batman Spinoff The Penguin Now Filming, Batman George Clooney Rumored For The Flash, Marvels Ant-Man 3 Breaks Batman vs Superman Record. There is a chance that Marvel will lose the rights to major characters like Spider-Man, Iron Man, Black Widow, and others in the near future due to their copyright expirations. These findings just state that the deal is ending, it doesnt mean that Disney would get the rights back if the deal ends. Its speculated that either storyline would cost over $200 million. Hulk in particular is a character that has suffered a bit because Universal owns the movie rights. Let us know in the comments. Apex Legends vs Fornite which is better? New Movie News, Movie Trailers & upcoming Movie Reviews, Marvel Finally Explains Exactly How Its Hulk Deal with Universal Works, Only Two MCU Villains Have Made Hulk Bleed - and One of Them Is Dead, She-Hulk Fan Proves Tatiana Maslany Looks Just Like the MCU Superhero, REVIEW: Frank Miller Presents Ancient Enemies: The Djinni #1 Crafts a Compelling Origin Story, REVIEW: DC's Shazam! While the Hulk has existed in live-action since the late 1970s, Namor only recently made his debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. So, while they can't do anything active with the rights, should Marvel decide to make a Hulk movie Universal must be approached first. })(); The Security and Exchange Commission filing, Mickeys Premium Ice Cream Bar Crocs and Scented Loungefly Arrive at Walt Disney World, Mickey Mouse: The Main Attraction Enchanted Tiki Room Ears Arrive At Walt Disney World. / All Rights Reserved, Write for Us Movies, Entertainment, Comics, The Complicated Relationship Between Marvel And Universal, https://veryimgs.veryaware.com/1661323847200.jpg, https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a5aed50578738cfe85dcdca1b09bd179?s=96&d=mm&r=g. Universal May Not Be Holding Up Marvel's Future Plans For Hulk After Part of this comes from a tricky balance within the character's concept; while you have a big green monster for thrills, he only exists in a gulf of our actual protagonist. 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. Hulk in particular is a character that has suffered a bit because Universal owns the movie rights. Marvel Super Hero Island, a massive Marvel-themed attraction at Universal Orlando, is one of the many attractions in the park. The Avengers Campus will be the first Avenger theme park in the United States. Marvel Entertainments acquisition by Universal is a significant acquisition for the company because it enters a highly competitive market for comic books and movies. 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. I guarantee you will not be disappointed. And since Universal appears to have just recently lost that fight, it's not inclined to work with Disney on rights to these characters. Disneys purchase of Marvel in 2009 had a big impact on Universal Studios. "While Disney owns all Marvel IP, Universal has distribution rights to Hulk and Namor," the analyst wrote. Universal has the first refusal opportunityto distribute the project, Disney may have regained the rights but have yet to be supported by anything definitive, but there are still plenty of release opportunities left in Phase 6 and beyond, Spider-Verse 2 Reportedly Includes Major MCU Phase 4 Reference, Andor Season 2 Director Just Deleted This New Set Photo After Sharing Online, Avatar 3: Disney Is Secretly Teasing Sequels New Characters, Robert Pattinsons Batman Universe Just Recast 1 Gotham Character, The Mandalorian Season 3: Episode 2's Longer Runtime Revealed In Advance, Ant-Man 3: Quantumania's Post-Credits Scenes Count Confirmed, Michael B. Jordan Shares Blunt Response to Black Superman Casting Rumors, Daredevil Actors Hit the Gym for Disney+ Reboot (Photos), Ant-Man 3 Writer Refuses to Listen to Fans Criticizing MODOK: 'They're Wrong', Ant-Man 3's Disappointing Reviews: Kang Actor Breaks Silence on Negative Reaction. Price: US $499.99. Iger, for example, is thought to own 500,000 Disney shares. The Many Reasons Why Superman Never Gives Up. Next: Groot's MCU Future Can Explain Vin Diesel's Exciting Hulk Fight Tease. Moreover, Marvel has made a deal with Sony that allows them Spider-Man to exist in the MCU. The attractions at Universal Studios Florida, such as Harry Potter and Jurassic World, are already doing this. All of that makes a Hulk movie a tricky prospect. Why Bob Iger Returning to Disney May Be Bad for Marvel Fans. Contact | Screen Rant's Managing Editor, Alex Leadbeater has been covering film online since 2012 and been a permanent fixture of SR since 2016. In recent years, it has been widely speculated as to why Disney and Marvel Entertainment havent worked together on a Marvel-themed theme park. Namor will make his MCU debut inBlack Panther: Wakanda Foreverwhich hits theaters on November 11. As his antagonistic nature was established in Wakanda Forever, Namor will likely be used in this capacity again. After Ang Lee's regrettable Hulk film in 2003, Universal agreed to let Marvel Studios make the next picture, distributing The Incredible Hulk. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, and of course - Netflix and chill! Ended: Feb 21, 2023. listeners: [], A movie many fans hope is Planet Hulk. Father, veteran, and storyteller. 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. In light of this, they believed Universal was phoned in on the films marketing because the studio did not invest in the film. 2003-2023 Best Little Sites, LLC. Universal and Marvel reached an agreement in 2008 for the former to distributeThe Incredible Hulkwhich starred Edward Norton as Bruce Banner before he was recast with Mark Ruffalo forThe Avengers. Advertise, Funny Superhero (DC & Marvel) Shirts & Stickers. Marvel regained cinematic rights to the character in 2005 after Universal failed to make a follow-up to Ang Lee's Hulk movie. event : evt, Will a solo movie happen anytime soon? Could this change? So if Marvel went ahead with a Hulk film on their own, they could either buy out Universal's distribution rights, make a deal with the studio that would be mutually beneficial, or just live. acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney, Laal Singh Chaddha (2022): The Disastrous Adaptation of Tom Hanks Forrest Gump, Spidey And His Amazing Friends Season Premier at Battery Park, Ryan Cooglers Thank You Letter To Fans Is Making Me Emotional All Over Again. A recent report from The Wrap revealed that Universal still holds the rights to both Hulk and Namor, placing limitations on their use in the MCU. The rights to both characters are currently tangled up with Universal. Similarly, with Namor, Marvel could make a TV series focused on Talokan, where the character appears but is not the protagonist. Related: Marvel Was Right To Scrap Black Panthers Original Namor Credits Scene. Sony received the rights to Spider-Man, the X-Men went to 20th Century Fox, and characters like Hulk and Namor had their rights obtained by Universal Pictures. The Hulk deal between Marvel and Universal is explained in-depth, with no standalone movie planned for the immediate future. This also ensured that Marvel Studios could use Hulk in "future multicharacter films," beginning with The Avengers in 2012 and continuing on to Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019). The original agreement on file with the SEC states that Universal Studios has agreed to distribute Marvels film The Incredible Hulk and subsequent sequels on the same terms as those on which Paramount has agreed to distribute the other films. Neither of the films got great attention either; The Incredible Hulk is one of the worst reviewed of the entire MCU and is often forgotten when it comes to full-franchise assessment. This is also why the Hulk only appears in the various Marvel Studios movies as a supporting character, such as in The Avengers films or Thor: Ragnarok. However, as is known from the Hulk in the MCU since The Incredible Hulk, this is not to say Marvel Studios cannot use Hulk or Namor at all. Community Guidelines | Avengers Campus is named after the city of Tokyo (the location of Avengers Theme Park). The Reddit User then looked at the original Paramount deal which states that the deal is only good for 15 years after each picture. This is why The Incredible Hulk, the character's only solo outing in the MCU, was distributed by Universal. The last we heard on the matter came from Mark Ruffalo, who pointed the finger squarely at Universal not playing nice with Marvel. Universal had been working with Marvel on a number of projects, including a theme park attraction based on The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ride at Islands of Adventure. Universal Still Owns Movie Rights For The Hulk, Says Mark Ruffalo A sale that adds $13 to each of those puts roughly an extra $6.5 million in his pocket! In addition to Disney and Marvel, Universal has the first right to distribute the Hulk movies. RUMOR: Disney May Regain Theatrical Distribution Rights to Hulk Films From the high-speed thrills of The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man to the extreme ups and downs of The Incredible Hulk Coaster, theres a Marvel ride for everyone. Since the opening of Universals Islands of Adventure in 2001, fans of Marvel have found familiar characters there. This Marvel attraction is only at Universal Orlando, so you dont have to be a fan of the movies to enjoy it. Marvel Studios' Phase 4 and 5 slates may be filled to the brim for now, but there are still plenty of release opportunities left in Phase 6 and beyond. Which Studios Own the Rights to Marvel's Characters? But they did not obtain the distribution rights, which Universal still has today. This is important because it made Hulk a multimedia star at a time when Marvel was cautious of the big screen. The situation is more of a standoff between Disney and Universal where neither wants to give, and so Marvel are just dealing with it. 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. Under the licensing arrangements for The Fantastic Four and X-Men, the third-party studio pays the Company a licensing fee and receives a share of the Companys merchandise revenue on these properties. Marvel acquired the rights to the superhero theme park rights from Universal Studios in 1994. The past box office for these films does not justify that as a solid business plan. That is exactly why Mark Ruffalo does not have a solo project of his own despite his character being so darn popular among even the most casual of moviegoers. In addition to Marvels Super Hero Island, Universal Studios has not provided any updates on the future of the park, but as a result of the recent closure and removal of Shrek 4-D from Universal Studios Orlando, Universal is repositioning attractions as flagship rides for Guests. However, even under the Mouse House, Universal still has that "first refusal" clause. 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. I would love to see another stand-alone Hulk film, but it just doesnt seem likely. As part of any such package, the House of Mouse stands a chance tofinallyregain two key Marvel franchises. How much did Disney get for Marvel? 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. He once asked Tom Cruise about his supposedly fake-butt in Valkyrie (he swore it was all real). Star-Lord from The Guardians of the Galaxy and Gamora from Doctor Strange are two of the Marvel characters that we know and love, and both will appear in Disneys Hollywood Studios in the near future. Marvel won back the Hulk movie production rights in 2005, after Universal failed to put a sequel to 2003's Hulk into immediate production. Trademark | Superman & Lois: The Third Seasons Villains Revealed! This situation is very similar to that of another longstanding MCU character: the Hulk. However, it's not like there's no Hulk in the MCU. Universal/Marvel Hulk Sequel Rights Clarified - IGN If for some reason Universal chose to forgo distribution, then Disney would immediately pick up the distribution rights for the Hulk movie. Throughout the day, various Spider-Man and Marvel merchandise will be available for purchase. It's clear that Disney/Marvel do not have a problem distributing their superhero adventures through another studio, though that is not their top choice. They have made great strides to do so and have been very successful in that regard. RELATED: Why Were the Hulk's Pants Always Purple? However, this only happened after Universal failed to get a sequel to Ang Lee's 2003 Hulk movie in active development by the contracted date (at which point the rights would revert to Marvel). . Universal Namor rights : r/marvelstudios - reddit.com 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. This is because Universal's option only relates to explicit Hulk films and, as Bruce Banner is clearly part of an ensemble in these cases, they have no say in them. 7 Fantastic Animes You Need to be Watching Right Now. Overseas, Hulu titles are added to the Disney+ library, but the two streaming platforms remain completely separate in the U.S. Having two of these services to contend with has become something of a financial burden, and selling its 67% share could be highly beneficial to the company.