Do you think we'll eventually see solo Hulk and Namor movies? This, therefore, means that the futures of both characters still rest on Universal. 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. 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. "As such, if Disney makes a Hulk or Namor film, Comcast can distribute the film on Peacock. Despite a brief jaunt in Mathematics at Durham University, film writing was always his calling. The Incredible Hulk was marketed differently by the studio, Marvel Studios. In The Story of Marvel Studios: The Making of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (which was recently published by Abrams Books), it's noted that Universal and Marvel publicly agreed upon a new deal regarding the Hulk film rights in 2006. Index | What's also unclear is if the distribution deal also extends to TV. The Incredible Hulk barely improved on that half a decade later, making $263M in a year when Iron Man brought in $585M and The Dark Knight topped $1B (this was when hitting that mark was a major achievement). Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. Universal Pictures distribution rights for future Hulk - ResetEra Best Little Sites is not liable for inaccuracies, errors, or omissions found herein. } Similarly, with Namor, Marvel could make a TV series focused on Talokan, where the character appears but is not the protagonist. Although these characters are no longer featured at Universal Orlando Resort, they remain a major part of the Marvel universe, and they will be a big hit with fans of the movies and television shows. See original listing. Throughout the day, various Spider-Man and Marvel merchandise will be available for purchase. This makes it so that Namor can only be used in the MCU similar to how Hulk has been since 2008, something that may come as a disappointment to many. You can visit Forbes for an even more in-depth account of what is going on with this Marvel title. Overseas, Hulu titles are added to the Disney+ library, but the two streaming platforms remain completely separate in the U.S. Having two of these services to contend with has become something of a financial burden, and selling its 67% share could be highly beneficial to the company. Well, unfortunately, probably not. Home Movie News Hulk Movie Rights Still At Universal. 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. RELATED: Is the Disney+ MCU Cutting Into Marvel Studios' Box Office Performance? 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. 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. Never, Universal Studios permanently owns the distribution rights to any film in which Hulk portrays himself as the main character, as well as his related friends in his universe. The deal between Universal and Disney is iron clad; however, it may have a time limit. "We believe Disney may sell its 67% stake in Hulu," Citi analyst Jason Bazinet wrote in a new note . The Security and Exchange Commission filing from 2008 allows Universal to hold Hulk movie rights for 15 years, which would expire June 2023. 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. For those who don't know, the film rights to everyone's favorite big, green, rage monster are complicated. Marvel won back the Hulk movie production rights in 2005, after Universal failed to put a sequel to 2003's Hulk into immediate production. 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. This follows how Hulk has been utilized in the MCU. Despicable Me Minion Mayhem: Must be 40 inches (102 cm) tall. It is not possible for Disney or Universal to use the Marvel name in their parks because they have a long-term agreement. Marvel Entertainments acquisition by Universal is a significant acquisition for the company because it enters a highly competitive market for comic books and movies. and not used in merchandise, licensing or video games because Fox owned the characters. The company could be waiting for Universal to terminate before making a decision on their future. 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. Star-Lord from The Guardians of the Galaxy and Gamora from Doctor Strange are two of the Marvel characters that we know and love, and both will appear in Disneys Hollywood Studios in the near future. While Universal agreed to share the character with the main universe in MCU, it was still not allowed for Disney and Marvel to produce any solo movie on him. With Marvel producer Nate Moore recently revealing that both still belong to Universal, it is unclear whether these rumors held any merit. It requires going against an ingrained idea and barreling into something more psychological than the MCU structure allows. Hulk Movie Rights Explained, Solo Movie Still Years Away Details Of Marvel's 'Hulk' Film Rights - Fans Can Relax About Sequel } 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). The acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney in 2019 brought home several big Marvel characters such as The X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Deadpool among others. From the high-speed thrills of The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man to the extreme ups and downs of The Incredible Hulk Coaster, theres a Marvel ride for everyone. The Complicated Relationship Between Marvel And Universal The past box office for these films does not justify that as a solid business plan. But with Comcast's NBCUniversal controlling the two superheroes' distribution rights, Bazinet suggested a deal could be in the offing. Ruffalo is now playing Bruce Banner/Hulk in the She-Hulk TV series, which is allowed under Marvel's deal with Universal since it's not a standalone Hulk project. Here Universal's the only ones who win. Running from 1977 to 1982 (with three TV movies that joined David Banner with Thor and Daredevil), it reshaped how wider culture viewed the Green Goliath, popularising many essential elements (not least "don't make me angry, you won't like me when I'm angry"). RELATED: Why Were the Hulk's Pants Always Purple? This is why Marvel Studios are unlikely to release a solo film for either character anytime soon, as they would not have full control over the distribution of their own film. Its known that Marvel Chairman Ike Perlmutter had the Fox-Marvel characters killed off in the comics (Fantastic Four, Wolverine, etc.) Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger have all been acquired by Marvel Studios from Paramount. Worth a mention is that the Fantastic Four and X-Men will be returning to Marvel-Disney once the Disney-Fox deal goes through which could be within the next month or two. Analyst says Comcast looking to sell Hulk/Namor movie rights back to Next: Groot's MCU Future Can Explain Vin Diesel's Exciting Hulk Fight Tease. That's still Universal . Indie-made films and has learned to love film from all walks of life. They are the lowest earners in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Reddit User then looked at the original Paramount deal which states that the deal is only good for 15 years after each picture. Since the Marvel movies, Disney has earned more money from them than Universal. From Spider-Man and the X-Men to Iron Man and Captain America, the Marvel Universe is full of super-powered heroes and villains. RELATED: Only Two MCU Villains Have Made Hulk Bleed - and One of Them Is Dead. Advertise, Funny Superhero (DC & Marvel) Shirts & Stickers. Photos not available for this variation. She-Hulk will premiere on Disney+ in 2022. Hulk movies are not proven at best, unpopular at worst. 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? Why Bob Iger Returning to Disney May Be Bad for Marvel Fans. This could fall on the relationship between the two studios not being as close as Sony and Marvel, or more simply be that Kevin Feige is in no rush to make a Hulk solo film. So, naturally, the question becomes, will the man they call Kulk'ulk'an get a solo film? Marvel Studios and Sony have mutually terminated their Spider-Man franchise. Lewis Glazebrook is a Senior Features writer for Screen Rant. Marvel Studios has finally explained its Hulk movie deal with Universal Pictures and how it affects the character's role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The rights to any film starring Hulk or Namor in a leading role are currently owned by Universal. As his antagonistic nature was established in Wakanda Forever, Namor will likely be used in this capacity again. However, there is one type of movie that seems to be universally enjoyed by people of all ages and from all walks of life, and that is the Marvel movie. With the acquisition of Marvel in 2004, Disney increased its popularity even further among people who do not read comic books. If, or when, Universal chooses to forgo distribution, Disney will immediately pick up those distribution rights for a solo Hulk movie. 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. Both Planet Hulk and the long rumored World War Hulk would be incredibly expensive to pull off on the big screen the right way. The outlet added a comment from Marvel Studios producer Nate Moore who revealed the character had to be "borrowed" for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, just like the Hulk has been. The most likely answer is that Universal is the exclusive licensee of the Marvel brand. Yet, over time, the rights to characters came back to Marvel from studios like New Line and Paramount. Learn More. 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. However, Marvel could attempt to regain the rights to the characters for Phase 5 and beyond. Prior to Disney acquiring Marvel, they had a distribution agreement with Paramount for Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America. 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. 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. Hulk in particular is a character that has suffered a bit because Universal owns the movie rights. 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. With a budget of $8.25 million, the film has the lowest budget of any Marvel film. Who Owns The Rights Of Hulk? - Caniry Under the licensing arrangement for Spider-Man, the Company pays the third-party studio a licensing fee based on each films box office receipts, subject to specified limits. All of that makes a Hulk movie a tricky prospect. Its the reason there is only one stand-alone Hulk film. Marvel's rights are a complicated affair as the character's distribution rights belong to Universal. These findings just state that the deal is ending, it doesnt mean that Disney would get the rights back if the deal ends. A recent rumor has suggested that the solo film rights to the Hulk may be returning to Marvel Studios in 2023! 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 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? 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. Disneys $71 billion purchase of 21st Century Fox in March 2019 is the largest acquisition in history. New Movie News, Movie Trailers & upcoming Movie Reviews, Why Marvel's Complex Namor & Hulk Rights Mean They'll Never Get Solo Movies. Sure, anything could happen if the deal ends, but whats most likely is they just renew the deal. Universal Studios has the rights to many of these characters, and has used them in a variety of theme park attractions and live shows. And this is true of both in the 1960s and the 2000s. Apparently, the original deal for his rights stated they reverted to Marvel 15 years after the release of the latest film. 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. And as the past has shown, the previous two Hulk movies came nowhere close to those numbers. Either party may terminate the contract; however, Marvel must have a legitimate, legal reason to why the contract is void (poor upkeep, not upholding the quality of the IP, etc.) If for some reason Universal chose to forgo distribution, then Disney would immediately pick up the distribution rights for the Hulk movie. In 2009, Disney spent $4 billion on Marvel comics. In addition to Disney and Marvel, Universal has the first right to distribute the Hulk movies. Neither Disney nor Universals theme parks have a single ride that can be used by both. 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. Moreover, Marvel has made a deal with Sony that allows them Spider-Man to exist in the MCU. Now, Disney may finally be able to offer fans what they have been waiting for, perhaps explaining the silence surrounding the widely-reportedWorld War Hulkmovie. The Fabelmans. 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. How long until Marvel gets the full rights for Hulk? The company obtained film rights, intellectual property, and a production company in addition to Marvel movie rights. The attractions at Universal Studios Florida, such as Harry Potter and Jurassic World, are already doing this. Despite Disneys purchase of Marvel Entertainment, the studio continued to produce Marvel films. Disney has the ability to use this property in a variety of ways, including making new movies, TV shows, and games.