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. 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. 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. Disney consolidated Fox and Warner's ownership in the Hulu joint venture in 2019. In 2009, Disney spent $4 billion on Marvel comics. Marvel Studios and Sony have mutually terminated their Spider-Man franchise. This situation is very similar to that of another longstanding MCU character: the Hulk. Many fans have been wondering if this is true, and what is going on with the rights between Universal and Marvel. So, any Hulk or Namor solo film would become the property of Universal. 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. These movies are full of action, adventure, comedy, and drama, and they always leave audiences wanting more. So from all this, there's no official barrier to another MCU Hulk movie. That means that when Marvel Studios wants to make a Hulk movie, they are contractually obligated to ask Universal if they want the distribution rights. 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. In March 2008, a short teaser trailer for The Incredible Hulk was released. 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.) 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. With Marvel producer Nate Moore recently revealing that both still belong to Universal, it is unclear whether these rumors held any merit. and not used in merchandise, licensing or video games because Fox owned the characters. Prior to Disney acquiring Marvel, they had a distribution agreement with Paramount for Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America. All rights reserved. The outlet added a comment from Marvel Studios producer Nate Moore who revealed the character had to be "borrowed" for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, just like the Hulk has been. College of the Canyons - 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, California, USA. And both films failed to break even against their budget. Since 2008, Marvel Studios has also acquired the rights to Ghost Rider, Blade, Daredevil, and a slew of others. 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. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. Disney once again confirms they distribute all the Marvel-produced films except for The Incredible Hulk, which is distributed by Universal Pictures. For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today onTwitter,Facebook, andInstagram. The first installment of his superhero fiction book, TALES OF ADVENTURE & FANTASY, is available on Amazon in print and ebook! However, Marvel could attempt to regain the rights to the characters for Phase 5 and beyond. 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. This was typically Paramount, who released every film except Hulk up until The Avengers, by which point Disney had bought Marvel and set about distributing themselves. 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. The situation is more of a standoff between Disney and Universal where neither wants to give, and so Marvel are just dealing with it. } Universal seems unbending. The agreement has the potential to stay in effect (aka good faith) or for an indefinite period of time, unless Universal decides to close the Marvel Universe area, stops making payments for use of the property, or Marvel opts out of the contract if it believes Universal is mismanaging its rights. The Hulk franchise even introduced the "shared universe" concept, with Thor and Daredevil showing up in those shows. In addition to Universal Orlandos ownership of Marvel characters in theme parks for a few decades now in an agreement that appears to be indefinite, the company reportedly has a deal in place with The Simpsons that will expire in 2028. window.mc4wp.listeners.push( Universal Could Be Considering Selling The Film Rights To THE HULK And 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. Yet, the same would've been said about the Sony and Disney partnership before it happened. Exploring The Possibility Of Superman Growing Up With Parents: What Could Have Been? This is similar to how Namor can be used in the 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 Complicated Relationship Between Marvel And Universal And 2003's Hulk only made $245 million. 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. In addition to Disney and Marvel, Universal has the first right to distribute the Hulk movies. Here Universal's the only ones who win. Thor: Ragnarok is the MCU's way of getting around making a proper Hulk movie, but why actually can't Marvel make a standalone for Bruce Banner? That being said, the three characters they dont own are still part of the MCU. Why Marvel Can't Make a Standalone MCU Hulk Movie AsThe Incredible Hulkhit theaters in June 2008, the 15-year period indicates Disney will regain distribution rights to the character in June 2023, at which point Marvel Studios would be able to begin production on a Hulk movie that Disney themselves would distribute. However, as Marvel Studios have not yet made any effort to do so despite Mark Ruffalo's Hulk being such an integral MCU character, it is unlikely to happen. Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger have all been acquired by Marvel Studios from Paramount. 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. Those who own physical media copies of those early Marvel films will know both Paramount and Universal distributed those films. This deal was completed earlier this year between NBC Universal and The Blackstone Group, which owns 50% of Universal Orlando. Disneys $71 billion purchase of 21st Century Fox in March 2019 is the largest acquisition in history. I would love to see another stand-alone Hulk film, but it just doesnt seem likely. It's the reason there is only one stand-alone Hulk film. 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. The opportunity to expand on Disneys involvement in the Marvel universe is one of the most promising things to come. 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. What's also unclear is if the distribution deal also extends to TV. During their stay, attendees can attend superhero training sessions with Iron Man and Black Widow. The situation is that they didnt have much of an incentive to do somatically. While both are highly expected to be important to the MCU's future, they will only be able to be used in the way Hulk has been thus far. 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. However, Universal does still hold the right of first refusal with . Next: Groot's MCU Future Can Explain Vin Diesel's Exciting Hulk Fight Tease. The Many Reasons Why Superman Never Gives Up. Despite a brief jaunt in Mathematics at Durham University, film writing was always his calling. 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. 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. Index | Spider-Man: Homecoming (2016), Thor: Ragnarok (2017, Black Panther 2018), Avengers: Infinity War (Fall 2018), Ant-Man and the Wasp (Fall 2018), Captain Marvel (2019), and Avengers: Marvel rides are some of the most popular rides at theme parks around the world. Copyright | 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. The World-Famous Studio Tour. Its known that Marvel Chairman Ike Perlmutter had the Fox-Marvel characters killed off in the comics (Fantastic Four, Wolverine, etc.) Namor Film Rights: Universal Studios Blocks Disney From Making Namor Disney CEO Bob Iger assured shareholders in 2009 that Marvels acquisition would not be jeopardized. window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { Like the Incredible Hulk, Universal Studios owns the rights to the character Namor and entered into a special arrangement with Disney for the character to feature in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Hulk Movie Production and Distribution Rights - Collider Best Little Sites is not liable for inaccuracies, errors, or omissions found herein. In addition to Disney and Marvel, Universal has the first right to distribute the Hulk movies. A film starring Hulk was first floated in 1990, with Universal having bought the movie rights. Lewis Glazebrook is a Senior Features writer for Screen Rant. Hulk is Jekyll and Hyde where Hyde is typically mindless. Universal owns distribution rights, which means they have the right of "first refusal" to any Hulk film. The deal between Universal and Disney is iron clad; however, it may have a time limit. Moreover, Marvel has made a deal with Sony that allows them Spider-Man to exist in the MCU. 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. Contributing writer for Movieweb since 2001. "We believe Disney may sell its 67% stake in Hulu," Citi analyst Jason Bazinet wrote in a new note . Disney intends to regain distribution rights to the character within 15 years, according to the 15-year period. 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. Disney has acquired the intellectual property rights to the characters, stories, and settings from Marvels comics. Marvel acquired the rights to the superhero theme park rights from Universal Studios in 1994. 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. VeryAware document.write( new Date().getFullYear() ); 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. One of these is Bruce Banner/Hulk, explaining why The Incredible Hulk is still the only MCU solo film for the character. With a budget of $8.25 million, the film has the lowest budget of any Marvel film. Hulk And Namor Solo Movies Could Depend On Disney's Plans For Hulu He works better when surrounded by a team, with the character not having to shoulder a whole movie on his own. 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? A password reset link will be sent to you by email. 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. For removal of copyrighted images, trademarks, or other issues, Contact Us. How much did Disney get for Marvel? Screen Rant's Managing Editor, Alex Leadbeater has been covering film online since 2012 and been a permanent fixture of SR since 2016. Im Joel Watson and Im a content manager at veryaware.com, an entertainment website. All logos and images used on this website are registered trademarks of their respective companies. 7 Fantastic Animes You Need to be Watching Right Now. It's Marvel working around the restriction and. Nope, The Batman Spinoff The Penguin Now Filming, Batman George Clooney Rumored For The Flash, Marvels Ant-Man 3 Breaks Batman vs Superman Record. 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. The Marvel Cinematic Universe's relationship with the Incredible Hulk has been relatively awkward since the film was released in 2008. Thanks to the late co-creator of the Marvel Universe, cartoons and live-action series that featured Hulk, Spider-Man and Doctor Strange hit TV. "While Disney owns all Marvel IP, Universal has distribution rights to Hulk and Namor," the analyst wrote. Marvel won back the Hulk movie production rights in 2005, after Universal failed to put a sequel to 2003's Hulk into immediate production. Dragon Ball Z Characters Who Could Defeat Superman. Its speculated that either storyline would cost over $200 million. 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. The actual Hulk character had limited screen time in the first two standalone movies, with Bruce Banner involved in much of the action. Disney (DIS) might let go of Hulu in favor of the Hulk, at least according to one media analyst. event : evt, Disney and Marvel made Iron Man 2 with Paramount distributing the movie. Universal Studios Hollywood Height Requirements - 40 Inches or Taller. That may not seem like a big deal, but for investors, it sure would be. 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. That means more production time and higher costs with the extensive effects necessary. Spider-Man remains a huge part of the MCU and Namor will appear in the upcoming film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. An SECfiling from 2006 notes Universal Studios' agreement to distribute The Incredible Hulk under the same terms as a similar deal with Paramount: 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. There are many different types of movies that people can enjoy. 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. 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). 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. All Rights Reserved. Marvel Finally Explains Exactly How Its Hulk Deal with Universal - CBR Hulk Movie Rights Explained, Solo Movie Still Years Away, 10 Movies That Were Rated R for Basically No Reason, 10 Greatest Classic Movies of All Time, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes, 15 Critically Panned Movies that Somehow Got Sequels. They have made great strides to do so and have been very successful in that regard. 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. Marvel Has One Path to Regain Full Hulk, Namor Rights, Analyst Believes You can see the excerpt from the SEC filings below: 6. Paramount also distributed the first Iron Man, Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor. In 2018, Disney generated $20.3 billion in revenue, while Universal Theme Parks generated $5.7 billion. The past box office for these films does not justify that as a solid business plan. It requires going against an ingrained idea and barreling into something more psychological than the MCU structure allows. 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');". The relationship between Marvel and Universal is complicated, to say the least. Do you think we'll eventually see solo Hulk and Namor movies? 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. The film audience for the title didn't grow between movies, which is seen as a bad sign. Disney has the option to produce and distribute any future Marvel movies that it acquires as a result of its Marvel movie rights. 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? In 1994, Universal Studios obtained the rights to license the Marvel comic books theme parks. 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. 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. Related: Black Panther 2 Repeats An Infinity War Trick To Make Namor More Powerful. 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. Yet due to Universal Pictures releasing the prior Hulk film, they held the distribution rights to The Incredible Hulk. 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! Despite the fact that Marvel is housed at Universal Studios, it is not a part of the park. The acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney in 2019 brought home several big Marvel characters such as The X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Deadpool among others. 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. 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. A consistently evolving entertainment industry landscape where Marvel is the biggest game in town means the only certainty is that one can never say never. based on the reaction to the character since The Avengers, it's working. The movie rights of Hulk have always been dynamic unlike the character rights of the other superheroes. Marvel licensed the rights to X-Men and Fantastic Four characters to 20th Century Fox in the 1990s. Disney will only own Marvels parks if it acquires the rights to them from Universal. 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. The Marvel trend is extremely profitable for Disney.