Spider-Man Joins the Marvel Cinematic Universe Following Sony/Disney Deal

After months of rumors and speculation, Marvel and Sony have finally come to an agreement on the Spider-Man franchise, which means that the friendly neighborhood web-head will be swinging his way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe to the sound of millions of rabid fans freaking the hell out. Negotiations have purportedly been going on for several weeks (probably much longer than that), but former Sony president Amy Pascal stepping down just recently seems to have expedited the process.

Marvel announced the partnership tonight in a press release, which you can read below. There’s no mention of director Marc Webb or star Andrew Garfield in the release, and all signs point to this being a reboot of sorts, though all projects pertaining to the popular NYC-based superhero are in the earliest stages of development.

Check out the full release:

Sony Pictures Entertainment and Marvel Studios announced today that Sony is bringing Marvel into the amazing world of Spider-Man.

Under the deal, the new Spider-Man will first appear in a Marvel film from Marvel’s Cinematic Universe (MCU). Sony Pictures will thereafter release the next installment of its $4 billion Spider-Man franchise, on July 28, 2017, in a film that will be co-produced by Kevin Feige and his expert team at Marvel and Amy Pascal, who oversaw the franchise launch for the studio 13 years ago. Together, they will collaborate on a new creative direction for the web slinger. Sony Pictures will continue to finance, distribute, own and have final creative control of the Spider-Man films.

Marvel and Sony Pictures are also exploring opportunities to integrate characters from the MCU into future Spider-Man films.

The new relationship follows a decade of speculation among fans about whether Spider-Man – who has always been an integral and important part of the larger Marvel Universe in the comic books – could become part of the Marvel Universe on the big screen. Spider-Man has more than 50 years of history in Marvel’s world, and with this deal, fans will be able to experience Spider-Man taking his rightful place among other Super Heroes in the MCU.

“I am thrilled to team with my friends at Sony Pictures along with Amy Pascal to produce the next Spider-Man movie,” said Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. “Amy has been deeply involved in the realization on film of one of the world’s most beloved characters. Marvel’s involvement will hopefully deliver the creative continuity and authenticity that fans demand from the MCU. I am equally excited for the opportunity to have Spider-Man appear in the MCU, something which both we at Marvel, and fans alike, have been looking forward to for years.”

Spider-Man, embraced all over the world, is the most successful franchise in the history of Sony Pictures, with the five films having taken in more than $4 billion worldwide.