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. 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. Marvel has been trying to get the rights to these characters back for years, but has had little success. Hulk in particular is a character that has suffered a bit because Universal owns the movie rights. Screen Rant's Managing Editor, Alex Leadbeater has been covering film online since 2012 and been a permanent fixture of SR since 2016. Children 40-48 inches (102-122 cm) must be accompanied by a supervising companion (14 years or older). It's Marvel working around the restriction and. How much did Disney get for Marvel? Despite a brief jaunt in Mathematics at Durham University, film writing was always his calling. Will a solo movie happen anytime soon? User Vidoardes on Reddit posted some interesting findings regarding the deal that indicate it may end in June of 2023. In addition to Marvels Super Hero Island, Universal Studios has not provided any updates on the future of the park, but as a result of the recent closure and removal of Shrek 4-D from Universal Studios Orlando, Universal is repositioning attractions as flagship rides for Guests. Photos not available for this variation. Captain America: Civil War takes place six decades before the Marvel Cinematic Universe debuted. Despicable Me Minion Mayhem: Must be 40 inches (102 cm) tall. But that doesn't mean a solo movie won't ever happen. 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. So, while they can't do anything active with the rights, should Marvel decide to make a Hulk movie Universal must be approached first. Indie-made films and has learned to love film from all walks of life. Disney will only own Marvels parks if it acquires the rights to them from Universal. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. 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. Back then, Marvel Entertainment were an independent company and so the Studios operated as just production, working with outside distributors. 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. Exploring The Possibility Of Superman Growing Up With Parents: What Could Have Been? And 2003's Hulk only made $245 million. 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 has been speculation about a Marvel-themed park at Disney in the past, but nothing has come to fruition. Based in London, he oversees a global news & features team based in NY, LA and beyond. New evidence posted to Reddit seems to indicate that Universals Hulk distribution agreement could end in June of 2023. Enter the username or e-mail you used in your profile. But with Comcast's NBCUniversal controlling the two superheroes' distribution rights, Bazinet suggested a deal could be in the offing. Exploring The Limits Of Supermans Power: Can The Man Of Steel Destroy An Entire Universe? RELATED: Why Were the Hulk's Pants Always Purple? 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. The Hulk deal between Marvel and Universal is explained in-depth, with no standalone movie planned for the immediate future. Monica Rambeaus Superhero Costume Leaks! callback: cb The answer, it seems, dates back about 13 years to the start of the Disney and Marvel Studios relationship. 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. "While Disney owns all Marvel IP, Universal has distribution rights to Hulk and Namor," the analyst wrote. Universal Studios has the rights to many of these characters, and has used them in a variety of theme park attractions and live shows. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. The original agreement on file with the SEC states that Universal Studios has agreed to distribute Marvels film The Incredible Hulk and subsequent sequels on the same terms as those on which Paramount has agreed to distribute the other films. Besides Hulk, Namor, and Spider-Man, Disney owns the rights to almost every single character in Marvel Comics. The company could be waiting for Universal to terminate before making a decision on their future. 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. It's well known that characters' movie rights have a big influence on the Marvel films made. 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. Advertise, Funny Superhero (DC & Marvel) Shirts & Stickers. See original listing. Well, unfortunately, probably not. Could this change? 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. 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. Prior to Disney acquiring Marvel, they had a distribution agreement with Paramount for Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America. This follows how Hulk has been utilized in the MCU. 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. If, or when, Universal chooses to forgo distribution, Disney will immediately pick up those distribution rights for a solo Hulk movie. You may have also seen/heard him on the Total Geekall podcast, unaffiliated YouTube channels, BBC Radio and CBC News. In March 2008, a short teaser trailer for The Incredible Hulk was released. Now Open - Get Details. And Universal is confirmed to have the right of first refusal on the distribution of any Hulk movie planned for the future. Still, Marvel Studios has plenty of options to get around this deal, some of which fans have already seen. The scrappy little movie company led by Kevin Feige could make movies, but it had no way to get them into theaters. 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? Universal landed the film rights to Hulk and Namor in the early 2000s. However, it's not like there's no Hulk in the MCU. Namor's introduction in the film has been widely regarded as one of the best aspects of Wakanda Forever, with many placing Namor among the best MCU villains, given the character's understandable motivations. This situation is very similar to that of another longstanding MCU character: the Hulk. The opportunity to expand on Disneys involvement in the Marvel universe is one of the most promising things to come. 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. 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. 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! 27 Unearthed legal documents may suggest that Disney and Marvel Studios will regain theatrical distribution rights to The Incredible Hulk and other Hulk films in June 2023. The Hulk Surely Marvel owns The Hulk! This category includes She Hulk as well. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, and of course Netflix and chill! Marvel Studios and Universal Pictures have had a long and complicated relationship. A new Hulk movie would have to be given over to the Green Goliath, with the story revolving around an entirely CGI Hulk. 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. This, therefore, means that the futures of both characters still rest on Universal. All of that makes a Hulk movie a tricky prospect. Marvel's rights are a complicated affair as the character's distribution rights belong to Universal. Marvel regained cinematic rights to the character in 2005 after Universal failed to make a follow-up to Ang Lee's Hulk movie. As his antagonistic nature was established in Wakanda Forever, Namor will likely be used in this capacity again. What they own is the "right of first refusal" for distribution of Hulk movies. In 2009, Disney spent $4 billion on Marvel comics. 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. The World-Famous Studio Tour. 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. 2003-2023 Best Little Sites, LLC. From Spider-Man and the X-Men to Iron Man and Captain America, the Marvel Universe is full of super-powered heroes and villains. Obviously, that makes their usage in the Marvel Cinematic Universe all the more tricky. In 2009, Disney paid $4 billion for Marvel, and the agreement is a long-term one, as long as Universal keeps paying Disney. Apex Legends vs Fornite which is better? 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. Like with Spider-Man, there is scope for some agreement, although the current terms don't leave much room for negotiation. Rumors have previously spread to suggest Disney may have regained the rights but have yet to be supported by anything definitive. Children 40-48 inches (102-122 cm) must be . 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). ); Universal Pictures are co-owners of the unfriendly green giant, which is why there hasn't been a solo Hulk movie since 2008's The Incredible Hulk and there's unlikely to be one in the MCU's future. The rights to both characters are currently tangled up with Universal. 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. 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. The first installment of his superhero fiction book, TALES OF ADVENTURE & FANTASY, is available on Amazon in print and ebook! A cunning warrior, the best star-pilot in the galaxy, and a good friend. 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. At the same time, Universal retains "the right of first refusal to distribute any future solo Hulk movies," which accounts for the lack of a second Hulk solo movie in the MCU. 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. There are also Marvel villains such as Doctor Doom and the Green Goblin. 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. Yet, now that Bob Iger is back in charge of Disney, maybe he can complete his Marvel Comics collection and work out a new deal. Do you think we'll eventually see solo Hulk and Namor movies? Father, veteran, and storyteller. 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. RELATED: Only Two MCU Villains Have Made Hulk Bleed - and One of Them Is Dead. Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger have all been acquired by Marvel Studios from Paramount. Just because he's a supporting character, though, doesn't mean Hulk is being underserved. But Hulk is, shockingly, even more complex than that. Since the opening of Universals Islands of Adventure in 2001, fans of Marvel have found familiar characters there. When Disney bought Marvel, Universals contract to use Marvel characters expired, and they were forced to close the attraction. "We believe Disney may sell its 67% stake in Hulu," Citi analyst Jason Bazinet wrote in a new note . Hulk movies are not proven at best, unpopular at worst. Which Studios Own the Rights to Marvel's Characters? Ended: Feb 21, 2023. 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. } The rights of Hulk belonged to Universal similar to Spider-Man's rights in Sony It requires going against an ingrained idea and barreling into something more psychological than the MCU structure allows. No, Universal does not own any Marvel characters. And both films failed to break even against their budget. Hulk in particular is a character that has suffered a bit because Universal owns the movie rights. 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. However, a stipulation with Hulk's rights allows Marvel to use the Hulk in its movies, albeit only in team-ups. Avengers Campus is named after the city of Tokyo (the location of Avengers Theme Park). Of course, the comics moved beyond this in the 1960s, but culturally that is where Hulk's been, and it's only really in Ragnarok where his autonomy is presented. 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 second reason is that Hulk has proven to be quite popular in Marvel's The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron. 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. 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. The Incredible Hulk Coaster. 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 currently holds the rights to several Marvel characters, including the Hulk, Namor the Sub-Mariner, and the Incredible Hulk. The attractions will be located in Paris as part of Disneys park expansion, which will include the construction of its own Avengers Campus, where guests can meet and greet Marvel characters and enjoy on-theme restaurants such as the Pym Test Kitchen and the Ant-Man and The Wasp-themed Why did Disney sell Marvels rights to Marvel? 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. Community Guidelines | Both Namor and the Incredible Hulk are characters Disney owns the rights to use in stories, films or television. The relationship between Marvel and Universal is complicated, to say the least. College of the Canyons - 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, California, USA. That means more production time and higher costs with the extensive effects necessary. This deal was completed earlier this year between NBC Universal and The Blackstone Group, which owns 50% of Universal Orlando. So Universal has no claim at all to the. Contributing writer for Movieweb since 2001. 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. 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. Disney intends to regain distribution rights to the character within 15 years, according to the 15-year period. Disney purchased Marvel Universal to ensure the continuation of their partnership. 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). 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. The Company distributes all Marvel-produced films with the exception of The Incredible Hulk, which is distributed by Universal Pictures. All Rights Reserved. The Hulk's appearances in other films and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law continue his story and make him the connective tissue for a number of these discrete stories. He works better when surrounded by a team, with the character not having to shoulder a whole movie on his own. So what does this mean for The Hulk and his future in the MCU? 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. (The Culver Institue Laboratory) 2 of 2 found this interesting. 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. "While Disney owns all Marvel IP, Universal has distribution rights to Hulk and Namor," the analyst wrote. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. What makes Marvel movies so special is that they are able to appeal to a wide range of people. It is exciting to speculate on what an Marvel-themed park at Disney World would look like. 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. 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? Its just not a smart move. Why Bob Iger Returning to Disney May Be Bad for Marvel Fans. That's still Universal . Superman & Lois: The Third Seasons Villains Revealed! The Greater World Wrestling organization will soon release a new Hulk series entitled World War Hulk.. I find it hard to believe Universal would let the contract lapse and then just hold on to the Hulk rights. Disney CEO Bob Iger assured shareholders in 2009 that Marvels acquisition would not be jeopardized. 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. Part of this comes from a tricky balance within the character's concept; while you have a big green monster for thrills, he only exists in a gulf of our actual protagonist. It is not possible for Disney or Universal to use the Marvel name in their parks because they have a long-term agreement. It really all comes down to contracts. RELATED: Why Bob Iger Returning to Disney May Be Bad for Marvel Fans. Universal Owns Namor's Rights, Too? 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? According to Broussard, the Incredible Hulk was the clear winner when it came to placing second. The best course of action for Universal is to renew the contract for another 15 years and keep everything running smoothly. While something vaguely similar happened with Spider-Man, there was a much clearer balance of rewards to either side. An SECfiling from 2006 notes Universal Studios' agreement to distribute The Incredible Hulk under the same terms as a similar deal with Paramount: Disney+s She Hulk: Attorney at Law starts streaming August 18. Doctor Doom and the Green Goblin are also on hand. In 2009, the CEO of Disney acknowledged the importance of Marvels intellectual property rights when Disney purchased Marvel. 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. With a budget of $8.25 million, the film has the lowest budget of any Marvel film. Hulk has been a member of the MCU for over a decade. Privacy | 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 CEO Bob Iger, in describing these contracts to his staff, stated that they were business-friendly. Reddit useru/vidoardesshared evidence that indicates Disney may regain the distribution rights to the Hulk in June 2023, allowing them to produce a new solo movie based on the green Avenger. 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. And as the past has shown, the previous two Hulk movies came nowhere close to those numbers.