It's well known that characters' movie rights have a big influence on the Marvel films made. Enter the username or e-mail you used in your profile. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. 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. While Marvel Studios is able to include The Hulk and Namor in movies, they've been restricted from releasing solo outings due to Universal holding those rights. Post-Homecoming, anything's possible. 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. (The Culver Institue Laboratory) 2 of 2 found this interesting. 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. The Hulk deal between Marvel and Universal is explained in-depth, with no standalone movie planned for the immediate future. The most notable example of a theme park operator holding Marvel theme park rights is Universal Parks & Resorts, which operates two theme parks with Marvel-themed attractions: Universal Studios Florida and Universals Islands of Adventure. Its just not a smart move. The Many Reasons Why Superman Never Gives Up. It really all comes down to contracts. What's also unclear is if the distribution deal also extends to TV. 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. From growing up having favorite films like The Lion King and The Iron Giant to becoming a major Star Wars and MCU fan, Hollywood blockbusters are Lewis main interests. 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? As we said at the start, Hulk isn't the most popular of the main Avengers. 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. He once asked Tom Cruise about his supposedly fake-butt in Valkyrie (he swore it was all real). 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. This contract has the potential to be extended every four years by Universal. Disney does not permit the use of the comic book character at any of its theme parks in the United States or Canada. Hulk Hogan Signed Universal Champion Red Wrestling Belt. The company is trying to overturn the decision of Marvel to grant Disney exclusive rights to the major Marvel Cinematic Universe characters. 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. The problem isn't really story, but practical: Marvel can't make a Hulk solo film.It's been a staggering nine years since The Incredible Hulk and despite talk of a direct follow-up or tangential solo outing for Bruce Banner and his enraged alter ego, none have come to pass; it's been proven that supposed leaks suggesting development were false and Marvel Studios has repeatedly said it's off the cards, with Thor: Ragnarok even delivering on long-desired standalone outing Planet Hulk. Well, its likely that Universal and Marvel could renew the contract like Marvel did with Sony in 2019. 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. 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. Both Planet Hulk and the long rumored World War Hulk would be incredibly expensive to pull off on the big screen the right way. Hulk in particular is a character that has suffered a bit because Universal owns the movie rights. Counting in marketing costs and everything else that goes along with it, a solo Hulk movie would have to break $750 million worldwide to be economically viable. The most important verbiage is that Universal owns the rights to Marvel "in perpetuity"; meaning for as long as the contract is in good standing. It would be a unique experience. Despite the MCU making strides to retrieve these rights - such as their deal with Sony to use Tom Holland's Spider-Man and the Disney acquisition of Fox for the X-Men - some of them remain complicated. in a statement, a spokesperson for Universal Studios Hollywood said the park experienced a "brief power dip which resulted in exiting guests from some attractions", due to a "power interruption" from the utility Southern California Edison. Namor will make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which will be released in theaters on November 11. 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. Which Studios Own the Rights to Marvel's Characters? Like with Spider-Man, there is scope for some agreement, although the current terms don't leave much room for negotiation. 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). 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. Advertise, Funny Superhero (DC & Marvel) Shirts & Stickers. 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. And since Universal appears to have just recently lost that fight, it's not inclined to work with Disney on rights to these characters. Copyright | Dragon Ball Z Characters Who Could Defeat Superman. 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. But with Comcast's NBCUniversal controlling the two superheroes' distribution rights, Bazinet suggested a deal could be in the offing. According to evidence shared on Reddit by u/vidoardes, Disney is in a position to regain distribution rights to the Hulk in 2023. In recent years, it has been widely speculated as to why Disney and Marvel Entertainment havent worked together on a Marvel-themed theme park. The ensembles allow the character to show his strengths, and not focus on the weaknesses that would come out in a movie devoted solely to Hulk. Marvel Studios and Universal Pictures have had a long and complicated relationship. on: function(evt, cb) { 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. But that doesn't mean a solo movie won't ever happen. There may be a more antagonistic side to this as well. The second reason is that Hulk has proven to be quite popular in Marvel's The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron. Universal currently owns distribution rights to any movie starring Hulk or Namor in the leading role, meaning they receive a significant share of the profits. 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. I guarantee you will not be disappointed. The film production company is a joint venture between Disney and Marvel. In their 2018 financial report, Disney also confirms that Spider-Man is still licensed to Sony Pictures, and that the Fantastic Four and X-Men are currently with Fox Studios. 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. Hulk is Jekyll and Hyde where Hyde is typically mindless. Its speculated that either storyline would cost over $200 million. The last we heard on the matter came from Mark Ruffalo, who pointed the finger squarely at Universal not playing nice with Marvel. Since Comcast's Universal owns the film distribution rights for Hulk and newcomer Namor, the Wall Street analyst argues, "If Hulu is sold, Disney may use this as an opportunity to secure. 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). So, while Disney owns the rights to the characters Namor and the Hulk, Marvel's pre-existing deal with Universal locks down the distribution rights, possibly in perpetuity. About | 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. Children 40-48 inches (102-122 cm) must be . When Disney bought Marvel, Universals contract to use Marvel characters expired, and they were forced to close the attraction. Yet, over time, the rights to characters came back to Marvel from studios like New Line and Paramount. 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. 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. Despite the fact that Marvel is housed at Universal Studios, it is not a part of the park. But Hulk is, shockingly, even more complex than that. And both films failed to break even against their budget. As part of any such package, the House of Mouse stands a chance tofinallyregain two key Marvel franchises. Disney and Marvel still hold the rights to develop movies starring the Hulk, but Universal has the first refusal opportunityto distribute the project and takes a significant chunk of the profits. The Hulk Surely Marvel owns The Hulk! 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. Trademark | 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. Played by Tenoch Huerta, this interpretation is a massive hit with fans, both diehards and those unfamiliar with Namor. 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! The future of both the Hulk and Namor rest solely on Universal. Disney+s She Hulk: Attorney at Law starts streaming August 18. Disney intends to regain distribution rights to the character within 15 years, according to the 15-year period. event : evt, It is not possible for Disney or Universal to use the Marvel name in their parks because they have a long-term agreement. Universal Studios has the rights to many of these characters, and has used them in a variety of theme park attractions and live shows. Moreover, Marvel has made a deal with Sony that allows them Spider-Man to exist in the MCU. Is the Disney+ MCU Cutting Into Marvel Studios' Box Office Performance? "While Disney owns all Marvel IP, Universal has distribution rights to Hulk and Namor," the analyst wrote. Disney would distribute a Hulk movie to Marvel Studios, allowing the studio to begin production. Disney paid $4 billion in 2009 for Marvel Entertainment, making it the largest acquisition in history. They have made great strides to do so and have been very successful in that regard. 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. 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. While the Hulk has existed in live-action since the late 1970s, Namor only recently made his debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. 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. I find it hard to believe Universal would let the contract lapse and then just hold on to the Hulk rights. So, while they can't do anything active with the rights, should Marvel decide to make a Hulk movie Universal must be approached first. Back then, Marvel Entertainment were an independent company and so the Studios operated as just production, working with outside distributors. For those who don't know, the film rights to everyone's favorite big, green, rage monster are complicated. Father, veteran, and storyteller. The first is that 2008's The Incredible Hulk didn't perform well at the box office, with just $263 million worldwide. 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. Lewis Glazebrook is a Senior Features writer for Screen Rant. Hulk movies are not proven at best, unpopular at worst. 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. Universal's Film Rights Dictate The Future Of Namor & The Hulk The future of both the Hulk and Namor rest solely on Universal. Universal currently owns distribution rights to any movie starring Hulk or Namor in the leading role, meaning they receive a significant share of the profits. User Vidoardes on Reddit posted some interesting findings regarding the deal that indicate it may end in June of 2023. If you have never seen a Marvel movie, I highly recommend you check one out. In 2021, Lewis graduated from university with a Film and TV Studies degree, earning First Class Honours. Ive been working in the online publishing industry for over 10 years and have a passion for creating engaging, entertaining content. (function() { In light of this, they believed Universal was phoned in on the films marketing because the studio did not invest in the film. But they did not obtain the distribution rights, which Universal still has today. The Incredible Hulk - Owned By Universal. Despicable Me Minion Mayhem: Must be 40 inches (102 cm) tall. However, Feige expanded in July 2014 saying that Marvel Studios, not Universal Pictures or Legendary Pictures, could make a Namor film, "but it's slightly more complicated than that. I would love to see another stand-alone Hulk film, but it just doesnt seem likely. 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. I've been working in the online publishing industry for over 10 years and have a passion for creating engaging, entertaining content. In 2012, Marvel and Universal reached a deal that allowed Marvel to produce a new Hulk film, but the rights to the character still remain with Universal. How To Improve Netflix Viewing Experience, How Grand Theft Auto Became one of the Most Popular Brands Ever, Ranking Our Favourite Episodes of Extreme Home Makeover. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. While Hollywood filmmaking will always be his most knowledgeable area, Lewis still enjoys anything in the world of filmmaking. 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. In 1994, Universal Studios obtained the rights to license the Marvel comic books theme parks. Apex Legends vs Fornite which is better? The report notes that Sony and Fox have to pay to create and distribute the movies, while Disney still retains the merchandise rights. Fans shouldn't take the newly-uncovered details of the agreement between Disney and Universal as a certainty the House of Mouse is about to reacquire the distribution rights to Hulk and Namor. Sure, anything could happen if the deal ends, but whats most likely is they just renew the deal. The Fabelmans. Now with Disney about to buy Fox, all the characters have returned to the Marvel comics and are now also being used in licensing, merchandise and gaming. Community Guidelines | You may have also seen/heard him on the Total Geekall podcast, unaffiliated YouTube channels, BBC Radio and CBC News. A recent rumor has suggested that the solo film rights to the Hulk may be returning to Marvel Studios in 2023! Since 2008, Marvel Studios has also acquired the rights to Ghost Rider, Blade, Daredevil, and a slew of others. Don't hold your breath. However, also working against that are creative reasons as well as contractual. 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. 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. 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. Many fans have been wondering if this is true, and what is going on with the rights between Universal and Marvel. Now, Disney may finally be able to offer fans what they have been waiting for, perhaps explaining the silence surrounding the widely-reportedWorld War Hulkmovie. } 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. 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. The film would go on to gross $134 million in the United States and $264 million worldwide, bringing its total to $134 million. Universal Studios Hollywood Height Requirements - 40 Inches or Taller. Terms Of Service | RELATED:The Marvel's Release Date Pushed Back To November. This was the case with Universals film The Incredible Hulk, which was part of the MCU. 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. Although, Disney may need to be quick to get started on a Hulk-centric project as Mark Ruffalo may well be looking to move on from the role soon after over ten years as Bruce Banner. According to a 2002 report, Walt Disney was in talks to purchase archrival Universal. 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. New Movie News, Movie Trailers & upcoming Movie Reviews, Why Marvel's Complex Namor & Hulk Rights Mean They'll Never Get Solo Movies. The attractions at Universal Studios Florida, such as Harry Potter and Jurassic World, are already doing this. It has over 6,000 characters and is one of the worlds most valuable comic book franchises. Hulk in particular is a character that has suffered a bit because Universal owns the movie rights. If, or when, Universal chooses to forgo distribution, Disney will immediately pick up those distribution rights for a solo Hulk movie. Photos not available for this variation. 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. 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. The Greater World Wrestling organization will soon release a new Hulk series entitled World War Hulk.. Because of this, and Tenoch Huerta's fantastic performance, many MCU viewers would like a Namor solo film - something that may not be happening anytime soon. If, or when, Universal chooses to forgo distribution, Disney will immediately pick up those distribution rights for a solo Hulk movie. The Islands of Adventure at Universal Studios are now open, and Marvels Super Hero Island is available there. Its known that Marvel Chairman Ike Perlmutter had the Fox-Marvel characters killed off in the comics (Fantastic Four, Wolverine, etc.)