The most likely answer is that Universal is the exclusive licensee of the Marvel brand. 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. What this means is Universal cannot make a Hulk. { RELATED:The Marvel's Release Date Pushed Back To November. 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. 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. Do you think we'll eventually see solo Hulk and Namor movies? 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. 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. The Incredible Hulk Coaster. While the Hulk has existed in live-action since the late 1970s, Namor only recently made his debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. The Marvel Universe is home to some of the most iconic characters in pop culture. 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. 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. According to a 2002 report, Walt Disney was in talks to purchase archrival Universal. Although Marvel has the rights to Hulk back, it is unable to release a standalone Hulk movie thanks to . He works better when surrounded by a team, with the character not having to shoulder a whole movie on his own. A new Hulk movie would have to be given over to the Green Goliath, with the story revolving around an entirely CGI Hulk. Many fans have been wondering if this is true, and what is going on with the rights between Universal and Marvel. Enter the username or e-mail you used in your profile. Owns a dog who loves watching Milo and Otis on repeat. 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. Monica Rambeaus Superhero Costume Leaks! Namor will make his MCU debut inBlack Panther: Wakanda Foreverwhich hits theaters on November 11. 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. New Movie News, Movie Trailers & upcoming Movie Reviews, Why Marvel's Complex Namor & Hulk Rights Mean They'll Never Get Solo Movies. 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. They are the lowest earners in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Copyright 2023 Cosmic Book News | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | About Us | Contact Us | Movies | Comics | TV | Gaming | News | Reviews | Web Stories | Search, MODOK Trends with Zack Snyder's 'Rebel Moon', The Marvel's Release Date Pushed Back To November, Justice League and DC Sold To Netflix? And both films failed to break even against their budget. There hasn't been a Hulk solo movie since 2008, which is because the film rights are tied up with Universal Pictures. The Hulk. 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. So, naturally, the question becomes, will the man they call Kulk'ulk'an get a solo film? But that doesn't mean a solo movie won't ever happen. Next: Groot's MCU Future Can Explain Vin Diesel's Exciting Hulk Fight Tease. Disney will be able to make Marvel-based films with the deal. While something vaguely similar happened with Spider-Man, there was a much clearer balance of rewards to either side. If you have never seen a Marvel movie, I highly recommend you check one out. } This was evident in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, with Namor being used as the villain of that film. So what does this mean for The Hulk and his future in the MCU? This Marvel attraction is only at Universal Orlando, so you dont have to be a fan of the movies to enjoy it. Disney intends to regain distribution rights to the character within 15 years, according to the 15-year period. 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. 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. 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. Will a solo movie happen anytime soon? 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. Ive been working in the online publishing industry for over 10 years and have a passion for creating engaging, entertaining content. In 2009, Disney paid $4 billion for Marvel, and the agreement is a long-term one, as long as Universal keeps paying Disney. A film starring Hulk was first floated in 1990, with Universal having bought the movie rights. Is the Disney+ MCU Cutting Into Marvel Studios' Box Office Performance? Post-Homecoming, anything's possible. Yes, you read that right! Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger have all been acquired by Marvel Studios from Paramount. (function() { For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today onTwitter,Facebook, andInstagram. Iger, for example, is thought to own 500,000 Disney shares. Marvel and Sony Strike a Deal in 1998 to License the Film Rights to Spider-Man and 900 Related Characters Back when superheroes were still in their infancy, Sony and Marvel struck a deal to license the film rights to Spider-Man and 900 related characters. 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. Best Little Sites is not liable for inaccuracies, errors, or omissions found herein. This is important because it made Hulk a multimedia star at a time when Marvel was cautious of the big screen. At least that would give Namor the freedom Hulk never had. The Marvel trend is extremely profitable for Disney. The film was Universal Pictures' second attempt at a Hulk film after the critical and commercial disappointment of Ang Lee's 2003 film. 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. Sure, anything could happen if the deal ends, but whats most likely is they just renew the deal. A recent rumor has suggested that the solo film rights to the Hulk may be returning to Marvel Studios in 2023! But why? Rumors have previously spread to suggest Disney may have regained the rights but have yet to be supported by anything definitive. Hulk has had his own solo movie and appeared in several Marvel Studios films. 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. In 2021, Lewis graduated from university with a Film and TV Studies degree, earning First Class Honours. The report notes that Sony and Fox have to pay to create and distribute the movies, while Disney still retains the merchandise rights. If Hulu is sold, Disney may use this as an opportunity to secure these distribution rights.". While The Incredible Hulk did perform well on the home video market, it wasn't enough to cover marketing costs. There are many different types of movies that people can enjoy. Could this change? But with Comcast's NBCUniversal controlling the two superheroes' distribution rights, Bazinet suggested a deal could be in the offing. Yet, over time, the rights to characters came back to Marvel from studios like New Line and Paramount. Marvel's rights are a complicated affair as the character's distribution rights belong to Universal. 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. Marvel can't make a Hulk standalone, but they probably wouldn't want to even if they could. Like with Spider-Man, there is scope for some agreement, although the current terms don't leave much room for negotiation. To say Marvel Studios is unlikely to work with Universal to distribute a solo MCU film might be stating the obvious. Marvel has been trying to get the rights to these characters back for years, but has had little success. Disney has regained ownership of the Marvel Comics character after Universal Pictures gave up rights to him. 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. 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. I find it hard to believe Universal would let the contract lapse and then just hold on to the Hulk rights. 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. Black Panther: Wakanda Foreverwill introduce the Atlantean ruler, played by Tenoch Huerta, but his MCU future remains up in the air as of now. So, any Hulk or Namor solo film would become the property of Universal. Father, veteran, and storyteller. However, these SEC filings may be the strongest evidence yet that the rights will be changing hands next year. Unlike other Marvel characters in the MCU, such as Iron Man, Captain America, or Thor, Namor and Hulk are not solely owned by Marvel Studios. Sony will continue to produce all Spider-Man and Spidey films until at least nine months have passed. According to evidence shared on Reddit by u/vidoardes, Disney is in a position to regain distribution rights to the Hulk in 2023. However, if Disney decided against buying out Comcast's 33% stake, then that company might choose to acquire the entire service. Paramount also distributed the first Iron Man, Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor. Universal seems unbending. 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. Obviously, that makes their usage in the Marvel Cinematic Universe all the more tricky. Don't hold your breath. This, therefore, means that the futures of both characters still rest on Universal. Universal landed the film rights to Hulk and Namor in the early 2000s. This is similar to how Namor can be used in the future. As has been known since Disney's acquisition of Marvel Studios in 2009, the distribution rights for certain Marvel characters have rested with Universal Pictures. The Incredible Hulk - Owned By Universal. 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. We also see why Disney never created any merchandise for the Fox Studios Marvel movies as they didnt want Fox getting a share of the revenue. 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. The rights of Hulk belonged to Universal similar to Spider-Man's rights in Sony Spider-Man is one of the Marvel Villains on hand, so dont miss out on the chance to meet him. Over the past few years, Marvel Studios has set out to acquire most of the rights to Marvel Comics characters. This deal was completed earlier this year between NBC Universal and The Blackstone Group, which owns 50% of Universal Orlando. The film would go on to gross $134 million in the United States and $264 million worldwide, bringing its total to $134 million. 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. Ended: Feb 21, 2023. There may be a more antagonistic side to this as well. Contact | 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. callback: cb 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. Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. event : evt, Marvel Studios finally explains its Hulk movie deal with Universal Pictures and how it affects the character's role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 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. The situation is that they didnt have much of an incentive to do somatically. 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. 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. (The Culver Institue Laboratory) 2 of 2 found this interesting. The company obtained film rights, intellectual property, and a production company in addition to Marvel movie rights. For the Fantastic Four and X-Men, Fox pays Disney a licensing fee and receives a share of Disneys merchandise revenue on these properties. That's still Universal . Apex Legends vs Fornite which is better? The Controversial Comic Book Reveal, 5 Superhero Games You Should Download Today. Prior to the Companys acquisition of Marvel in fiscal year 2010, Marvel had licensed the rights to third-party studios to produce and distribute feature films based on certain Marvel properties including Spider-Man (licensed to Sony Pictures Entertainment), The Fantastic Four (licensed to 21CF) and X-Men (licensed to 21CF). 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. Since the opening of Universals Islands of Adventure in 2001, fans of Marvel have found familiar characters there. 2003-2023 Best Little Sites, LLC. During their stay, attendees can attend superhero training sessions with Iron Man and Black Widow. The rights to any film starring Hulk or Namor in a leading role are currently owned by Universal. However, a stipulation with Hulk's rights allows Marvel to use the Hulk in its movies, albeit only in team-ups. Those who own physical media copies of those early Marvel films will know both Paramount and Universal distributed those films. 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? These rights are typically granted by Marvel Entertainment, Inc. to theme park operators in exchange for a licensing fee and a percentage of the parks gross revenues. Hulk has been a member of the MCU for over a decade. In light of this, they believed Universal was phoned in on the films marketing because the studio did not invest in the film. This category includes She Hulk as well. 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. From Wikipedia: 'In 2012, Marvel Entertainment CCO Joe Quesada believed Namor's rights had reverted to Marvel, but Feige said in August 2013 this was not so. New evidence posted to Reddit seems to indicate that Universals Hulk distribution agreement could end in June of 2023. KEEP READING: She-Hulk Fan Proves Tatiana Maslany Looks Just Like the MCU Superhero In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, and of course - Netflix and chill! "As such, if Disney makes a Hulk or Namor film, Comcast can distribute the film on Peacock. 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. Disney intends to regain distribution rights to the character within 15 years, according to the 15-year period. Related: Black Panther 2 Repeats An Infinity War Trick To Make Namor More Powerful. 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? Since 2008, Marvel Studios has also acquired the rights to Ghost Rider, Blade, Daredevil, and a slew of others. Played by Tenoch Huerta, this interpretation is a massive hit with fans, both diehards and those unfamiliar with Namor. Screen Rant's Managing Editor, Alex Leadbeater has been covering film online since 2012 and been a permanent fixture of SR since 2016. } A sale that adds $13 to each of those puts roughly an extra $6.5 million in his pocket! She-Hulk will premiere on Disney+ in 2022. When Disney bought Marvel, Universals contract to use Marvel characters expired, and they were forced to close the attraction. The film production company is a joint venture between Disney and Marvel. She-Hulk will premiere on Disney+ in 2022. Its the reason there is only one stand-alone Hulk film. There appears to . However, it's not like there's no Hulk in the MCU. They do own the distribution rights for Incredible Hulk (2008), currently, but not necessarily to Hulk as a franchise. Before the days of the MCU, the characters from the many Marvel Comics were almost shared out among other Hollywood studios. In recent years, it has been widely speculated as to why Disney and Marvel Entertainment havent worked together on a Marvel-themed theme park. In addition, Universal is still the owner of the rights to this character. And Universal is confirmed to have the right of first refusal on the distribution of any Hulk movie planned for the future. Moreover, Marvel has made a deal with Sony that allows them Spider-Man to exist in the MCU. The Avengers film rights have only been licensed to Universal by the company. Still, Marvel Studios has plenty of options to get around this deal, some of which fans have already seen. The attractions at Universal Studios Florida, such as Harry Potter and Jurassic World, are already doing this. 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. Marvel won back the Hulk movie production rights in 2005, after Universal failed to put a sequel to 2003's Hulk into immediate production. In addition to Disney and Marvel, Universal has the first right to distribute the Hulk movies. The Incredible Hulk was marketed differently by the studio, Marvel Studios. The Marvel brand is not permitted by Disney to be used in the licensing of Marvel content to U.S. theme parks. Captain America: Civil War takes place six decades before the Marvel Cinematic Universe debuted. The Security and Exchange Commission filing from 2008 allows Universal to hold Hulk movie rights for 15 years, which would expire June 2023. 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. } 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. How much did Disney get for Marvel? 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. Disneys $71 billion purchase of 21st Century Fox in March 2019 is the largest acquisition in history.