Universal Could Be Considering Selling The Film Rights To THE HULK And 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. Marvel Studios Was Unhappy With How Universal Marketed Incredible Hulk "The Incredible Hulk" The Incredible Hulk (TV Episode 1977) - IMDb The Islands of Adventure at Universal Studios are now open, and Marvels Super Hero Island is available there. In 2009, Disney spent $4 billion on Marvel comics. It would be a unique experience. However, even under the Mouse House, Universal still has that "first refusal" clause. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. The best course of action for Universal is to renew the contract for another 15 years and keep everything running smoothly. Universal owns distribution rights, which means they have the right of "first refusal" to any Hulk film. 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). 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. Details Of Marvel's 'Hulk' Film Rights - Fans Can Relax About Sequel Hulk And Namor Solo Movies Could Depend On Disney's Plans For Hulu When the Mouse bought Marvel, Disney and Universal went to war in the courts in order to free up not just film distribution rights but Marvel characters appearing in Universal's Orlando theme park. Power was fully restored, the . 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. RELATED: Why Bob Iger Returning to Disney May Be Bad for Marvel Fans. 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. 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? Home | The last we heard on the matter came from Mark Ruffalo, who pointed the finger squarely at Universal not playing nice with Marvel. 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. While Marvel Studios have the rights to use Hulk and Namor in their films to whatever extent they please, releasing a solo film is more complicated due to Universal owning distribution rights. A new Hulk movie would have to be given over to the Green Goliath, with the story revolving around an entirely CGI Hulk. The attractions at Universal Studios Florida, such as Harry Potter and Jurassic World, are already doing this. This isn't the main reason we haven't heard an announcement on Planet Hulk or any other Hulk movie, though. Namor can be used in the same manner as the Hulk in the MCU, namely as part of an ensemble, antagonistic role, or cameo. They are the lowest earners in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This was evident in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, with Namor being used as the villain of that film. Incidents at Universal parks - Wikipedia Do you think we'll eventually see solo Hulk and Namor movies? But why? Evidence Shows Hulk's Movie Rights Could Return To Marvel In 2023 Father, veteran, and storyteller. A cunning warrior, the best star-pilot in the galaxy, and a good friend. The situation is more of a standoff between Disney and Universal where neither wants to give, and so Marvel are just dealing with it. In 2009, Disney paid $4 billion for Marvel, and the agreement is a long-term one, as long as Universal keeps paying Disney. 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. Hulk Movie Reportedly Changing Hands from Universal to Disney Soon Universal currently holds the rights to several Marvel characters, including the Hulk, Namor the Sub-Mariner, and the Incredible Hulk. ); For now, Marvel and Disney think the character works better as part of an ensemble. What this means is Universal cannot make a Hulk. I'm Joel Watson and I'm a content manager at veryaware.com, an entertainment website. Why Marvel's Namor & Hulk Film Rights Are So Complicated Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure. 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. 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. There may be a more antagonistic side to this as well. 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. 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. Universal Pictures distribution rights for future Hulk - ResetEra Disney has the ability to use this property in a variety of ways, including making new movies, TV shows, and games. 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. That Darn Marvel Contract - What Rights Does Universal and Disney Own There has been speculation about a Marvel-themed park at Disney in the past, but nothing has come to fruition. listeners: [], 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. Disney will be able to make Marvel-based films with the deal. The rights of Hulk belonged to Universal similar to Spider-Man's rights in Sony 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. Geeks WorldWidepreviously reported in October 2021 thataWorld War Hulkmovie is in development with a 2022 production date, butupdates have since been scarce. 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. 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. Could this change? 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. Now Open - Get Details. Still, Marvel Studios has plenty of options to get around this deal, some of which fans have already seen. These parks feature rides of the highest quality, in addition to Marvel movies long history with them. The second reason is that Hulk has proven to be quite popular in Marvel's The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron. 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. 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. Enter the username or e-mail you used in your profile. Hulk has been a member of the MCU for over a decade. Disney paid $4 billion in 2009 for Marvel Entertainment, making it the largest acquisition in history. 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. Besides Hulk, Namor, and Spider-Man, Disney owns the rights to almost every single character in Marvel Comics. based on the reaction to the character since The Avengers, it's working. In 2018, Disney generated $20.3 billion in revenue, while Universal Theme Parks generated $5.7 billion. The first is that 2008's The Incredible Hulk didn't perform well at the box office, with just $263 million worldwide. Regarding the Marvel Studios Spider-Man films, Disney pays Sony a licensing fee to use the character (Civil War, Homecoming, Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame, Far From Home) based on how each film performs at the box office. 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. Both Namor and the Incredible Hulk are characters Disney owns the rights to use in stories, films or television. Beyond opening the doors to Hulk taking on a bigger role, Marvel Studios may finally be able to give Namor his own solo movie. But Hulk is, shockingly, even more complex than that. The Controversial Comic Book Reveal, 5 Superhero Games You Should Download Today. 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 may sell its 67% stake in Hulu for more Marvel rights: Citi HULK Star Josh Lucas Has Nothing But Good Things To Say About Ang Lee's Divisive Marvel Movie While Marvel Studios is able to include The Hulk and Namor in movies, they've been restricted from. For removal of copyrighted images, trademarks, or other issues, Contact Us. 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. Post-Homecoming, anything's possible. This contract has the potential to be extended every four years by Universal. Contributing writer for Movieweb since 2001. 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. 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. I find it hard to believe Universal would let the contract lapse and then just hold on to the Hulk rights. In recent years, Marvel has been trying to get the rights to its characters back from Universal, but has had little success. Marvel Super Hero Island is part of Universals Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida. About | So, naturally, the question becomes, will the man they call Kulk'ulk'an get a solo film? Next: Groot's MCU Future Can Explain Vin Diesel's Exciting Hulk Fight Tease. Marvel movies are based on comic books that were first published in the 1930s. 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. The relationship between Marvel and Universal is complicated, to say the least. While the Hulk has existed in live-action since the late 1970s, Namor only recently made his debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Related: Marvel Was Right To Scrap Black Panthers Original Namor Credits Scene. There hasn't been a Hulk solo movie since 2008, which is because the film rights are tied up with Universal Pictures. Fury of the Gods Special: Shazamily Matters, 10 Marvel Movies That Were Set Up To Fail, 10 Sci-Fi Films That Bombed At The Box Office But Became Cult Classics, Quantumania's MODOK Actor Defends His Ant-Man Role After Fan Backlash. Since The Incredible Hulk, the character has appeared in all four Avengers movies, as well as cameos in Iron Man 3, Captain Marvel, and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and supporting roles in Thor: Ragnarok and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. The World-Famous Studio Tour. Both Namor and the Incredible Hulk are characters Disney owns the rights to use in stories, films or television. Planet Hulk could be as close as 2021.The real question is, are you willing to wait that long? Avengers Campus is named after the city of Tokyo (the location of Avengers Theme Park). These deals with Sony and Universal are beneficial for Marvel but it stands to reason they would rather have all their characters under the same roof. There appears to . Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. It has not been agreed to at this time, according to sources. During their stay, attendees can attend superhero training sessions with Iron Man and Black Widow. Universal Studios Hollywood. However, these SEC filings may be the strongest evidence yet that the rights will be changing hands next year. 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. It's the reason there is only one stand-alone Hulk film. RELATED: Is the Disney+ MCU Cutting Into Marvel Studios' Box Office Performance? There are many different types of movies that people can enjoy. They do own the distribution rights for Incredible Hulk (2008), currently, but not necessarily to Hulk as a franchise. She-Hulk will premiere on Disney+ in 2022. The actual Hulk character had limited screen time in the first two standalone movies, with Bruce Banner involved in much of the action. No, Universal does not own any Marvel characters. Although Marvel has the rights to Hulk back, it is unable to release a standalone Hulk movie thanks to . 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. 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. } 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. A movie many fans hope is Planet Hulk. All logos and images used on this website are registered trademarks of their respective companies. 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