Universal Could Be Considering Selling The Film Rights To THE HULK And NAMOR Back To Disney, A new report suggests there's a good chance Universal Pictures might finally sell the rights to the, During the recent D23 expo, we learned that Tim Blake Nelson would reprise the role of Dr. Samuel Sterns, aka The Leader, in, Mark Ruffalo talks more about that big reveal in the latest episode of. 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. . 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. 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. However, unlike most other reacquisitions where the creator gets the character back outright, with Hulk Universal still has a clause - seemingly in perpetuity - of first refusal on distributing any Hulk films. The Reddit User then looked at the original Paramount deal which states that the deal is only good for 15 years after each picture. callback: cb Apex Legends vs Fornite which is better? Namor the Sub-Mariner was introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Phase 4's culminating film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, despite the character's rights being owned by Universal Pictures. In The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (which was recently published by Abrams Books), it's noted that Universal and Marvel publicly agreed upon a new deal regarding the Hulk film rights in 2006. 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. So, any Hulk or Namor solo film would become the property of Universal. KEEP READING: She-Hulk Fan Proves Tatiana Maslany Looks Just Like the MCU Superhero Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. What do you think will happen regarding rights with The Hulk? And as part of that negotiation process, Comcast -- relegating to a non-controlling shareholder with a 33% ownership stake -- gained the right, starting in 2024, to demand that Disney buy it out at a minimum Hulu valuation of $27.5 billion. 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. With the current state of Hulk's distribution rights sitting up in the air, new evidence has been uncovered to suggest when Disney will reacquire the rights. Daredevil (and by extension the entire Netflix Defenders franchise) exists only because Marvel wasn't able to wrangle Galactus and the Silver Surfer back from Fox, and just this summer we got Sony/Marvel co-production Spider-Man: Homecoming where the web-slinger joined the franchise while being made by a different company. Disney once again confirms they distribute all the Marvel-produced films except for The Incredible Hulk, which is distributed by Universal Pictures. Namor will make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which will be released in theaters on November 11. This isn't the main reason we haven't heard an announcement on Planet Hulk or any other Hulk movie, though. Growing up in the English countryside on a mixture of Star Wars, The Simpsons and Aardman, Alex is a lifelong movie obsessive. Disney has the opportunity to incorporate more movie-based themes into its theme parks. Doctor Doom and the Green Goblin are also on hand. window.mc4wp.listeners.push( 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. While few details are on-the-record, the relationship between Universal and Disney is frosty at best. With Marvel producer Nate Moore recently revealing that both still belong to Universal, it is unclear whether these rumors held any merit. This may come as a disappointment to many, who wish for a Namor solo film after his fantastic debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Its known that Marvel Chairman Ike Perlmutter had the Fox-Marvel characters killed off in the comics (Fantastic Four, Wolverine, etc.) Despite the success of the Phase 4 and 5 releases, there are still plenty of opportunities for Marvel Studios to release movies in Phase 6 and beyond. While it is unconfirmed if there will be a sequel to The Incredible Hulk or if rights are going to go to Disney, the SEC filing is the base of the rumor from The Direct that rights for The Hulk will be given to Disney. With the acquisition of Marvel in 2004, Disney increased its popularity even further among people who do not read comic books. Well, its likely that Universal and Marvel could renew the contract like Marvel did with Sony in 2019. Of course, this hasn't prevented Marvel from giving Hulk a multi-film arc in the MCU, similar to those for characters like Iron Man, Captain America, and Black Widow. The film was Universal Pictures' second attempt at a Hulk film after the critical and commercial disappointment of Ang Lee's 2003 film. Photos not available for this variation. 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. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. Copyright | Beyond opening the doors to Hulk taking on a bigger role, Marvel Studios may finally be able to give Namor his own solo movie. Spider-Man remains a huge part of the MCU and Namor will appear in the upcoming film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The Incredible Hulk barely improved on that half a decade later, making $263M in a year when Iron Man brought in $585M and The Dark Knight topped $1B (this was when hitting that mark was a major achievement). Universal Orlando Resort. 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. After Ang Lee's regrettable Hulk film in 2003, Universal agreed to let Marvel Studios make the next picture, distributing The Incredible Hulk. and not used in merchandise, licensing or video games because Fox owned the characters. There hasn't been a Hulk solo movie since 2008, which is because the film rights are tied up with Universal Pictures. An SEC filing from 2006 notes Universal Studios' agreement to distributeThe Incredible Hulkunder the same terms as a similar deal with Paramount: "Universal Studios has agreed to distribute Marvels film The Incredible Hulk and sequels on essentially the same terms as those on which Paramount has agreed to distribute the other films financed and produced under the film facility. Now Lewis spends his time watching endless amounts of film and TV, gaming, and reading, all to further his work as a Screen Rant Features Writer as he tries to widen his knowledge to write about all aspects of film and TV. Since the opening of Universals Islands of Adventure in 2001, fans of Marvel have found familiar characters there. However, it is clear that Universal still holds the rights to several important Marvel characters. The rights of Hulk belonged to Universal similar to Spider-Man's rights in Sony Despite being one of the founding Avengers, the Hulk has had an arguably small role to play in the MCU as the only member of the team not to lead a solo project since Phase 1. While the Hulk has existed in live-action since the late 1970s, Namor only recently made his debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. 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. Hulk appearing as a secondary character in the MCU receives just as much attention as other main characters like Thor and Iron Man, as the solo Hulk film. For those who don't know, the film rights to everyone's favorite big, green, rage monster are complicated. Sure, anything could happen if the deal ends, but whats most likely is they just renew the deal. Worth a mention is that the Fantastic Four and X-Men will be returning to Marvel-Disney once the Disney-Fox deal goes through which could be within the next month or two. You can visit Forbes for an even more in-depth account of what is going on with this Marvel title. The Return Of Superman: A Show That Positively Portrays Fathers, The 1978 Superman Film And Its Iconic Sequel Superman II. Will a solo movie happen anytime soon? It is also noted that if Marvel and Disney really wanted to make a new Hulk movie, they would buy the distribution rights from Universal, or cut some sort of new deal with Universal, or just release it through Universal as they have done with other studios in the past. After all, Ruffalo's contract originally ran for six movies, so assuming that hasn't changed he still has one more to go (Iron Man 3 is unlikely to have counted); rounding things off with a Hulk movie would a fitting finale to the character's time in the MCU. 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. 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. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. { "While Disney owns all Marvel IP, Universal has distribution rights to Hulk and Namor," the analyst wrote. The Incredible Hulk was the second film in the MCU, released just one month after Iron Man. Although these characters are no longer featured at Universal Orlando Resort, they remain a major part of the Marvel universe, and they will be a big hit with fans of the movies and television shows. The film would go on to gross $134 million in the United States and $264 million worldwide, bringing its total to $134 million. Never, Universal Studios permanently owns the distribution rights to any film in which Hulk portrays himself as the main character, as well as his related friends in his universe. Apparently, the original deal for his rights stated they reverted to Marvel 15 years after the release of the latest film. Geeks WorldWidepreviously reported in October 2021 thataWorld War Hulkmovie is in development with a 2022 production date, butupdates have since been scarce. Index | Screen Rant's Managing Editor, Alex Leadbeater has been covering film online since 2012 and been a permanent fixture of SR since 2016. At this time, it's believed that Marvel and Disney don't want to invest between $150-200 million in a solo superhero movie that isn't going to make a very large return like their other recent releases. Besides Hulk, Namor, and Spider-Man, Disney owns the rights to almost every single character in Marvel Comics. Just because he's a supporting character, though, doesn't mean Hulk is being underserved. And as the past has shown, the previous two Hulk movies came nowhere close to those numbers. The Hulk Surely Marvel owns The Hulk! Per Ruffalo and Kevin Feige, Ragnarok is the start of a three-movie arc that will act as some approximation of a standalone story, delving into what makes Hulk, Hulk. This is why Marvel Studios are unlikely to release a solo film for either character anytime soon, as they would not have full control over the distribution of their own film. The World-Famous Studio Tour. In addition to Disney and Marvel, Universal has the first right to distribute the Hulk movies. All Rights Reserved. Universal was the first studio to release a Marvel movie, with the 2003 film Hulk. Marvel acquired the rights to the superhero theme park rights from Universal Studios in 1994. 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. However, Universal does still hold the right of first refusal with . He once asked Tom Cruise about his supposedly fake-butt in Valkyrie (he swore it was all real). During their stay, attendees can attend superhero training sessions with Iron Man and Black Widow. Member of the Marvel Studios brain trust Nate Moore revealed Namor's rights are, just like the Hulk's, tied up with a pre-Disney distribution deal with Universal. 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. The Marvel Universe is home to some of the most iconic characters in pop culture. Right now, we're still years away from that happening. See original listing. The Greater World Wrestling organization will soon release a new Hulk series entitled World War Hulk.. The past box office for these films does not justify that as a solid business plan. This was evident in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, with Namor being used as the villain of that film. They have made great strides to do so and have been very successful in that regard. However, these SEC filings may be the strongest evidence yet that the rights will be changing hands next year. Monica Rambeaus Superhero Costume Leaks! 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. By Matt McGloin / Saturday, January 12, 2019 - 2:04AM. After the events of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and the hints at Bruce Banner's MCU story, there were some rumors that Marvel Studios could make a solo Hulk movie after 2023. The scrappy little movie company led by Kevin Feige could make movies, but it had no way to get them into theaters. The Hulk might be coming home as rumors are spreading that claim Marvel now completely owns the rights to the big, green and angry hero, which could potentially lead to a new series of standalone films for the Hulk. 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. Namors MCU introduction led to many calling for a solo film for the antihero, yet the character's rights are owned by Universal, similar to the Hulk. Why Marvel Can't Make a Standalone MCU Hulk Movie, it's been proven that supposed leaks suggesting development were false, Why Marvel Put Planet Hulk in Thor: Ragnarok, Marvel wasn't able to wrangle Galactus and the Silver Surfer back from Fox, Bill Bixby/Lou Ferrigno The Incredible Hulk TV series, first refusal on distributing any Hulk films. Also, after She-Hulk introduced Skaar, Hulk's son, and began planting seeds of a Hulk story many have longed to see, it is no secret that solo films for both characters would be welcome in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, Marvel could attempt to regain the rights to the characters for Phase 5 and beyond. 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. ", The aforementioned SEC deal with Paramount notes its distribution agreement "for an initial period of 15 years commencing on the initial Theatrical Exhibition of such Picture:", "6. After being recast as Mark Ruffalo (a choice unrelated to rights issues - it was the result of Norton not wanting to return), Hulk's appeared in The Avengers, Iron Man 3's post-credits scene, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Thor: Ragnarok and will return in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4. While Hollywood filmmaking will always be his most knowledgeable area, Lewis still enjoys anything in the world of filmmaking. It requires going against an ingrained idea and barreling into something more psychological than the MCU structure allows. KEEP READING:She-Hulk Fan Proves Tatiana Maslany Looks Just Like the MCU Superhero, Source: The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel theme park rights are the exclusive rights to use Marvel intellectual property at an amusement park or other theme park setting. The company is trying to overturn the decision of Marvel to grant Disney exclusive rights to the major Marvel Cinematic Universe characters. A password reset link will be sent to you by email. It is true that Universal still holds the distribution rights to any future Hulk movies, but the character rights and licenses firmly belong to Marvel after Universal didn't act on a. 2003-2023 Best Little Sites, LLC. Yet due to Universal Pictures releasing the prior Hulk film, they held the distribution rights to The Incredible Hulk. All logos and images used on this website are registered trademarks of their respective companies. Children 40-48 inches (102-122 cm) must be accompanied by a supervising companion (14 years or older). Related: Marvel Was Right To Scrap Black Panthers Original Namor Credits Scene. Disney has acquired the intellectual property rights to the characters, stories, and settings from Marvels comics. Many have been desperate to see a sequel toThe Incredible Hulkwith Mark Ruffalo for over a decade, andShe-Hulkhas so far been the closest Marvel has been able to offer due to legal agreements. Marvel confirmed rights involving Hulk and Namor are still with Universal, meaning the Disney-owned characters will probably never get solo movies. Universal Studios Hollywood Height Requirements - 40 Inches or Taller. The company obtained film rights, intellectual property, and a production company in addition to Marvel movie rights. This makes it so that Namor can only be used in the MCU similar to how Hulk has been since 2008, something that may come as a disappointment to many. The final reason given for no solo Hulk movie anytime in the near future is that it will cost a lot of money. A cunning warrior, the best star-pilot in the galaxy, and a good friend. 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. The second reason is that Hulk has proven to be quite popular in Marvel's The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron. The deal between Universal and Disney is iron clad; however, it may have a time limit. It's the reason there is only one stand-alone Hulk film. Neither Disney nor Universals theme parks have a single ride that can be used by both. The situation is that they didnt have much of an incentive to do somatically. The Hulk deal between Marvel and Universal is explained in-depth, with no standalone movie planned for the immediate future. What's also unclear is if the distribution deal also extends to TV. Many fans have been wondering if this is true, and what is going on with the rights between Universal and Marvel. These findings just state that the deal is ending, it doesnt mean that Disney would get the rights back if the deal ends. Back in April, Mark Ruffalo made the somewhat startling revelation that a standalone Hulk movie may not happen anytime in the near future because Universal still owns the rights for a standalone sequel to their 2003 Hulk movie and the 2008 follow-up The Incredible Hulk. Its just not a smart move. The Hulk. Published Nov 30, 2022 Marvel confirmed rights involving Hulk and Namor are still with Universal, meaning the Disney-owned characters will probably never get solo movies. If it does, that means that NBC or Peacock would have first right of refusal for a TV series with either character in the lead role. If you have never seen a Marvel movie, I highly recommend you check one out. Over the past few years, Marvel Studios has set out to acquire most of the rights to Marvel Comics characters. Disney would distribute a Hulk movie to Marvel Studios, allowing the studio to begin production. Is Superman Gay? The attractions at Universal Studios Florida, such as Harry Potter and Jurassic World, are already doing this. Dragon Ball Z Characters Who Could Defeat Superman. This means that the release of any Hulk/Namor solo film from the initial greenlighting of the film, to theatrical and home releases, as well as sorting out distribution revenue shares and so on falls solely on Universal's shoulders. event : evt, Yet, over time, the rights to characters came back to Marvel from studios like New Line and Paramount. So Universal has no claim at all to the. This contract has the potential to be extended every four years by Universal. Owns a dog who loves watching Milo and Otis on repeat. Father, veteran, and storyteller. The opportunity to expand on Disneys involvement in the Marvel universe is one of the most promising things to come. Some of the content presented on our sites has been provided by fans, other unofficial websites or online news sources, and is the sole responsibility of the source from which it was obtained. Mark Ruffalo has now played Bruce Banner in four movies (counting his cameo in Iron Man 3), yet none have been a full-on Hulk standalone - and that doesn't look like it'll change in future. })(); 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. That's still Universal . The future of both the Hulk and Namor rest solely on Universal. Disney intends to regain distribution rights to the character within 15 years, according to the 15-year period. But they did not obtain the distribution rights, which Universal still has today. 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. Own It Now on 4K, Blu-ray, DVD & Digital. 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. These deals with Sony and Universal are beneficial for Marvel but it stands to reason they would rather have all their characters under the same roof. With a budget of $8.25 million, the film has the lowest budget of any Marvel film. 5 Benefits of Comparing Top Products and Services Before Buying, EXCLUSIVE: DETAILS on Original Script For Black Panther Wakanda Forever, Casino Based On A True Story? He's covered a wide range of movies and TV shows - from digging out obscure MCU Easter eggs to diving deep into deeper meanings of arthouse fare - and has covered a litany of set visits, junkets and film festivals. Best Little Sites is not liable for inaccuracies, errors, or omissions found herein. Ended: Feb 21, 2023. A film starring Hulk was first floated in 1990, with Universal having bought the movie rights. In recent years, Marvel has been trying to get the rights to its characters back from Universal, but has had little success. Ruffalo is now playing Bruce Banner/Hulk in the She-Hulk TV series, which is allowed under Marvel's deal with Universal since it's not a standalone Hulk project. And Marvel/Disney have recently entered an agreement to partner with Sony on a new Spider-Man reboot that will be distributed by Sony Pictures. RELATED:The Marvel's Release Date Pushed Back To November. But that doesn't mean a solo movie won't ever happen. No standalone Hulk film has been in the works since 2008's The Incredible Hulk, which they produced. Those of you who are Disney fans will be perplexed as to why there are no Marvel-themed rides at Walt Disney World, particularly since Disneylands Avengers Campus is a huge hit. A film starring Hulk was first floated in 1990, with Universal having bought the movie rights. 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). Prior to Disney acquiring Marvel, they had a distribution agreement with Paramount for Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America. In short, Marvel signed a contract with MCA Inc., which owned the Universal Studios theme parks at the time, before Disney acquired it. Don't hold your breath. 7 Fantastic Animes You Need to be Watching Right Now. The studio wants to keep him as a 'special event' character, which raises the profile of an ensemble movie like these two mentioned, or Captain America: Civil War, where Bruce Banner is rumored to appear next.