“Venom” and “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” may have been a big success, but Sony is still moving relatively cautiously with its officially designated Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters (SPUMC).
The studio has given the go-ahead to sequels to both those films, and a “Morbius” movie, but one project that fell off the assembly line was Gina Prince-Bythewood’s “Silver & Black” which stalled in development.
At the time it seemed the studio was trying to decide whether to do separate movies on the two female Spider-Man villains, or a team-up. Prince-Bythewood meanwhile moved on to “The Old Guard” for Netflix with that project set to be released by the service next week.
Doing promotion for that film, she spoke with Games Radar (via CBM) and explained why “Silver & Black” didn’t happen – turns out it was Spider-Man’s fault. Asked about the film’s status, she says:
“My honest answer is I don’t know. I really love those characters, I loved having them together… I thought, what we came up with was a really good, really organic way to have the two together. That world is changing so much because of the success of the Spider-Man films.
There’s a question of, ‘Can you really have these films with Spider-Man not in them? Should he at least have some sort of part in them?’ That’s always the question. I’ve taken two years off of that for [The Old Guard] so once this gets out into the world, I hope it’s a success, and then I’ll certainly go back and start talking with them again.”
The comments sound as though Sony is unsure if the film can work without Spider-Man, or they’re considering distancing the spinoffs from him altogether. In any case, the film is a while off.
In related news, “Sex Education” star Asa Butterfield talked with Collider this week about losing the role of Spider-Man to Tom Holland. Butterfield and Holland were the two finalists for the current incarnation of the role first seen in “Captain America: Civil War” and the actor says his take would have likely been very different:
“I think as an actor and going out for roles, there’s only so much you can do and everyone’s gonna have a different take on a part and look at a character in different ways, have a different sort of performance, and you kind of have to stick with what you think. And if that isn’t necessary in line with what the director and the producers want, then it’s like, there’s nothing you can do about that. You might just not be the right person, and that’s out of your hands.
And that’s something I’ve learned, something that I think is great to help me kind of get over it. Because Tom did amazing things with Peter and he had an entirely different portrayal of him and I think it’s worked so well in the universe and in that part, and I don’t think I could do it. So I think all things work out in the end.”
Indeed, Butterfield says he’s very happy with his role on the popular Netflix series now – a part he wouldn’t have been able to do if he’d landed the Peter Parker role.
A third solo “Spider-Man”film is expected to head into production either later this year or early next year ahead of a 2022 release.
