Spider-Man fans have been eagerly hoping to see Tom Holland’s iconic web-slinger swing into action on Disney+, but it looks like those dreams will have to be put on hold. Recently, Brad Winderbaum, a key Marvel Studios executive, confirmed that Spider-Man will not be part of any live-action television series on the streaming platform. The reason? Sony’s exclusive control over the long-form television rights to Spider-Man.
For fans who had been hoping to see Spider-Man join the likes of other MCU characters in Disney+ series, this news comes as a bit of a disappointment. However, there’s still a silver lining. Winderbaum revealed that while live-action appearances are off the table, Spider-Man could still show up in 30-minute animated series on Disney+, a potential win for fans of the character.
Screentime shared on X, “Marvel Exec Brad Winderbaum confirms Spider-Man can’t appear in Disney+ live-action shows
“They [Sony] have long-form television rights… he can do like 30 minute animation”
Marvel Exec Brad Winderbaum confirms Spider-Man can’t appear in Disney+ live-action shows
“They [Sony] have long-form television rights… he can do like 30 minute animation”
(via: @PhaseHero) pic.twitter.com/56VXFygaIh
— ScreenTime (@screentime) February 24, 2025
The main takeaway here is that while Marvel Studios and Disney are still creatively involved in Spider-Man’s MCU appearances, they are limited by the television rights held by Sony, especially when it comes to live-action content.
The Key to the Spider-Man Rights Puzzle
To understand why Spider-Man can’t appear in live-action Disney+ series, we need to take a trip back in time. The rights to Spider-Man, unlike most Marvel superheroes, were not retained by Marvel Studios but were instead sold to Sony Pictures in the late 1990s. This was a result of Marvel Comics’ financial struggles during that period when they had to sell off many of their most valuable assets just to stay afloat. In 1999, Sony acquired the movie rights to Spider-Man, and they’ve held them ever since.
At the time, Marvel wasn’t the multi-billion-dollar juggernaut that it is today. Spider-Man, however, was a hugely valuable character, and Sony capitalized on this by launching the Spider-Man movie franchise with Sam Raimi’s 2002 film, which became an instant success. This was just the beginning, with Sony continuing to produce Spider-Man films in the years that followed.
But there was a catch: Sony’s deal with Marvel did not grant them complete control over all things Spider-Man. While Sony had the rights to Spider-Man’s live-action movies, Marvel kept hold of the character’s comic books and, crucially, the television rights. This division has led to ongoing complexities over the years.
The MCU and Spider-Man’s Cinematic Journey
Even though Sony had control over Spider-Man’s film and television rights, Marvel Studios eventually found a way to bring the character into their own cinematic universe, starting with Captain America: Civil War (2016). This collaboration between Sony and Marvel allowed Spider-Man to appear in multiple MCU films, while still keeping his own solo movies produced by Sony.
The deal between Marvel and Sony wasn’t a typical licensing agreement. Instead, the two studios worked together, with Marvel providing creative input on Spider-Man’s story and helping to shape his character for the MCU. The films produced under this arrangement included Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).
Although the MCU enjoyed the creative collaboration with Spider-Man, the deal was far from simple. For example, Marvel Studios received a 5% cut of the box office profits from the solo Spider-Man films. Meanwhile, Sony took the lion’s share of the revenue from these films, as well as profits from merchandise and other revenue streams.
Related: Marvel and Sony Scrap ‘Spider-Man 4’ Release Date
This unusual partnership allowed Spider-Man to become a central figure in the MCU while maintaining his own standalone movies. But as we now know, Sony still maintained control of Spider-Man’s rights, and their stranglehold on live-action television projects continues to limit Marvel’s future plans.
The 2019 Breakdown and the Return to the MCU
Tensions began to rise between Sony and Marvel in 2019, following the massive success of Spider-Man: Far From Home. There were reports that Disney wanted to renegotiate their deal with Sony, asking for a 50/50 revenue split on future Spider-Man films. Sony, however, wanted to keep the larger share of the box office profits. The two studios reached an impasse, and it was feared that Spider-Man would be written out of the MCU entirely.
However, after intense negotiations and a period of uncertainty, a new deal was struck in September 2019. The terms allowed Spider-Man to stay within the MCU, with Sony continuing to handle the production of Spider-Man solo films while Marvel still had creative input. This deal was a major win for fans, ensuring that Spider-Man’s adventures within the MCU would continue.
The Current Deal and What Lies Ahead
So, what does this all mean for Spider-Man’s future? As it stands, Sony still holds the rights to the character’s live-action appearances, including television shows. While Marvel Studios is able to include Spider-Man in its films, it has no control over live-action television projects featuring the character. This is why Spider-Man won’t be swinging into action in any future Disney+ series, though animated content remains a possibility.
Even with the limitations imposed by Sony, Spider-Man continues to play a pivotal role in the MCU, making appearances in major crossover films like Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. In addition, Sony has continued to expand its own Spider-Man Universe, releasing films like Venom (2018) and Morbius (2022), which take place outside the MCU but are still connected to the larger Spider-Man franchise.
Marvel and Sony’s complicated relationship has allowed Spider-Man to exist in both worlds — part of the MCU but still under Sony’s control when it comes to solo films and TV rights. And while we may not see Spider-Man in live-action Disney+ series anytime soon, his future in film and animated content remains bright.
As of now, Spider-Man will continue to be an integral part of the MCU, but don’t expect to see him swinging into any Disney+ live-action shows. For now, fans will have to content themselves with seeing Spider-Man appear in upcoming MCU films and the possibility of new animated content that keeps the character alive on Disney+.
