Based out of North East England, Lewis has a deep passion for all kinds of media that began at a young age. Universal Studios Hollywood. So Universal has no claim at all to the. Obviously, that makes their usage in the Marvel Cinematic Universe all the more tricky. 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. Neither Disney nor Universals theme parks have a single ride that can be used by both. In March 2008, a short teaser trailer for The Incredible Hulk was released. This, therefore, means that the futures of both characters still rest on 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. The Incredible Hulk - Owned By Universal. 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. 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. Children 40-48 inches (102-122 cm) must be . Now with Disney about to buy Fox, all the characters have returned to the Marvel comics and are now also being used in licensing, merchandise and gaming. Both Namor and the Incredible Hulk are characters Disney owns the rights to use in stories, films or television. 2003-2023 Best Little Sites, LLC. A password reset link will be sent to you by email. Disney does not permit the use of the comic book character at any of its theme parks in the United States or Canada. In addition to Disney and Marvel, Universal has the first right to distribute the Hulk movies. While The Incredible Hulk did perform well on the home video market, it wasn't enough to cover marketing costs. This follows how Hulk has been utilized in the MCU. Power was fully restored, the . Marvel's rights are a complicated affair as the character's distribution rights belong to Universal. The most notable example of a theme park operator holding Marvel theme park rights is Universal Parks & Resorts, which operates two theme parks with Marvel-themed attractions: Universal Studios Florida and Universals Islands of Adventure. In 2009, Disney paid $4 billion for Marvel, and the agreement is a long-term one, as long as Universal keeps paying Disney. An SEC filing from 2006 notes Universal Studios' agreement to distributeThe Incredible Hulkunder the same terms as a similar deal with Paramount: "Universal Studios has agreed to distribute Marvels film The Incredible Hulk and sequels on essentially the same terms as those on which Paramount has agreed to distribute the other films financed and produced under the film facility. The situation is that they didnt have much of an incentive to do somatically. The second reason is that Hulk has proven to be quite popular in Marvel's The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron. This also ensured that Marvel Studios could use Hulk in "future multicharacter films," beginning with The Avengers in 2012 and continuing on to Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Thor: Ragnarok (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019). There is another rumor of Marvel Studios developing a World War Hulk movie following events from She Hulk. These are not included under Universals Hulk rights. This is because Universal's option only relates to explicit Hulk films and, as Bruce Banner is clearly part of an ensemble in these cases, they have no say in them. Rumors have previously spread to suggest Disney may have regained the rights but have yet to be supported by anything definitive. It is also noted that if Marvel and Disney really wanted to make a new Hulk movie, they would buy the distribution rights from Universal, or cut some sort of new deal with Universal, or just release it through Universal as they have done with other studios in the past. 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. The situation is more of a standoff between Disney and Universal where neither wants to give, and so Marvel are just dealing with it. Do you think we'll eventually see solo Hulk and Namor movies? Disney and Marvel made Iron Man 2 with Paramount distributing the movie. Owns a dog who loves watching Milo and Otis on repeat. 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? Doctor Doom and the Green Goblin are also on hand. No, Universal does not own any Marvel characters. 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. In recent years, it has been widely speculated as to why Disney and Marvel Entertainment havent worked together on a Marvel-themed theme park. There may be a more antagonistic side to this as well. . The attractions at Universal Studios Florida, such as Harry Potter and Jurassic World, are already doing this. However, it was not until the release of the first Iron Man movie in 2008 that the Marvel Cinematic Universe was truly born. 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. Universal's Film Rights Dictate The Future Of Namor & The Hulk The future of both the Hulk and Namor rest solely on Universal. David Maisel, a former Marvel Studios executive who played a key role in getting the MCU up and going, subsequently proposed that Marvel Studios make the next Hulk film and pay Universal to distribute it, which resulted in 2008's The Incredible Hulk. Universal currently holds the rights to several Marvel characters, including the Hulk, Namor the Sub-Mariner, and the Incredible Hulk. She-Hulk will premiere on Disney+ in 2022. Since then, there have been 22 movies released in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with more planned for the future. 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. Universal landed the film rights to Hulk and Namor in the early 2000s. All rights not expressly granted to Paramount, including without limitation, the following rights: merchandising, soundtrack, videogame, publishing (other than free excerpts for marketing purposes), music publishing, production of derivative works and other audio-visual works based on the Marvel Characters and/or Marvel Titles, including without Disney once again confirms they distribute all the Marvel-produced films except for The Incredible Hulk, which is distributed by Universal Pictures. (function() { Disney consolidated Fox and Warner's ownership in the Hulu joint venture in 2019. Neither of the films got great attention either; The Incredible Hulk is one of the worst reviewed of the entire MCU and is often forgotten when it comes to full-franchise assessment. 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. 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. Now Open - Get Details. The ensembles allow the character to show his strengths, and not focus on the weaknesses that would come out in a movie devoted solely to Hulk. As his antagonistic nature was established in Wakanda Forever, Namor will likely be used in this capacity again. The rights to both characters are currently tangled up with Universal. New Movie News, Movie Trailers & upcoming Movie Reviews, Why Marvel's Complex Namor & Hulk Rights Mean They'll Never Get Solo Movies. The Many Reasons Why Superman Never Gives Up. However, it's not like there's no Hulk in the MCU. 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. Also, given that Namor can be used as part of an ensemble, the character could make appearances in upcoming films like Avengers: The Kang Dynasty or Avengers: Secret Wars alongside the likely inclusion of Hulk in both. 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. Its the reason there is only one stand-alone Hulk film. The rights to any film starring Hulk or Namor in a leading role are currently owned by Universal. That's still Universal . 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). Its been more than a decade since fans first saw The Incredible Hulk sequel starring Mark Ruffalo. Disneys purchase of Marvel in 2009 had a big impact on Universal Studios. 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 relationship between Marvel and Universal is complicated, to say the least. They are the lowest earners in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Home | This is why the one truly successful outing for Hulk is the TV series, which by its nature focused on Banner's conflict and internal drama - things that are great for episodic TV but not really a big blockbuster movie. How His Situation Compares To Hulk, Black Panther 2 Repeats An Infinity War Trick To Make Namor More Powerful, Marvel Was Right To Scrap Black Panthers Original Namor Credits Scene, Mark Ruffalo's Hulk being such an integral MCU, Marvel Studios could make a solo Hulk movie, Groot's MCU Future Can Explain Vin Diesel's Exciting Hulk Fight Tease. A consistently evolving entertainment industry landscape where Marvel is the biggest game in town means the only certainty is that one can never say never. Marvel Super Hero Island is part of Universals Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida. This deal was completed earlier this year between NBC Universal and The Blackstone Group, which owns 50% of Universal Orlando. The film was Universal Pictures' second attempt at a Hulk film after the critical and commercial disappointment of Ang Lee's 2003 film. 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. User Vidoardes on Reddit posted some interesting findings regarding the deal that indicate it may end in June of 2023. Hulk is Jekyll and Hyde where Hyde is typically mindless. Nope, The Batman Spinoff The Penguin Now Filming, Batman George Clooney Rumored For The Flash, Marvels Ant-Man 3 Breaks Batman vs Superman Record. Over the past few years, Marvel Studios has set out to acquire most of the rights to Marvel Comics characters. Disney has acquired the intellectual property rights to the characters, stories, and settings from Marvels comics. / All Rights Reserved, Write for Us Movies, Entertainment, Comics, The Complicated Relationship Between Marvel And Universal, https://veryimgs.veryaware.com/1661323847200.jpg, https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a5aed50578738cfe85dcdca1b09bd179?s=96&d=mm&r=g. Im Joel Watson and Im a content manager at veryaware.com, an entertainment website. Disneys contract with Universal likely expires in a few years, so the company will most likely build their own Marvel-themed park. 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). It is exciting to speculate on what an Marvel-themed park at Disney World would look like. Both Planet Hulk and the long rumored World War Hulk would be incredibly expensive to pull off on the big screen the right way. This is important because it made Hulk a multimedia star at a time when Marvel was cautious of the big screen. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. 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. You can see the excerpt from the SEC filings below: 6. Its known that Marvel Chairman Ike Perlmutter had the Fox-Marvel characters killed off in the comics (Fantastic Four, Wolverine, etc.) Why Marvel Can't Make a Standalone MCU Hulk Movie, it's been proven that supposed leaks suggesting development were false, Why Marvel Put Planet Hulk in Thor: Ragnarok, Marvel wasn't able to wrangle Galactus and the Silver Surfer back from Fox, Bill Bixby/Lou Ferrigno The Incredible Hulk TV series, first refusal on distributing any Hulk films. If you have never seen a Marvel movie, I highly recommend you check one out. What To Expect From Hulk in Avengers 3 and 4, Ruffalo's contract originally ran for six movies, Why Marvel Movies Always Release A Week Later in The US, Why Obi-Wan Didnt Use Force Speed To Save Qui-Gon Jinn From Darth Maul, The New Mad Max Might Break A Decades Old Series Rule, Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania Broke The MCU's Threequel Rule. Captain America: Civil War takes place six decades before the Marvel Cinematic Universe debuted. The deal between Universal and Disney is iron clad; however, it may have a time limit. If for some reason Universal chose to forgo distribution, then Disney would immediately pick up the distribution rights for the Hulk movie. In addition, Universal is still the owner of the rights to this character. Many fans have been wondering if this is true, and what is going on with the rights between Universal and Marvel. Since the Marvel movies, Disney has earned more money from them than Universal. A sale that adds $13 to each of those puts roughly an extra $6.5 million in his pocket! However, a stipulation with Hulk's rights allows Marvel to use the Hulk in its movies, albeit only in team-ups. window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { Whether you are a die-hard comic book fan or someone who has never even picked up a comic book, there is a Marvel movie out there for you. "As such, if Disney makes a Hulk or Namor film, Comcast can distribute the film on Peacock. Advertise, Funny Superhero (DC & Marvel) Shirts & Stickers. Related: Black Panther 2 Repeats An Infinity War Trick To Make Namor More Powerful. From Wikipedia: 'In 2012, Marvel Entertainment CCO Joe Quesada believed Namor's rights had reverted to Marvel, but Feige said in August 2013 this was not so. The Hulk Surely Marvel owns The Hulk! And both films failed to break even against their budget. 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. Universal seems unbending. These parks feature rides of the highest quality, in addition to Marvel movies long history with them. If Marvel feels there is enough interest to justify a solo movie, they will definitely jump at the chance. Universal Pictures has the rights to produce and distribute a Hulk movie under a deal it struck with Marvel. Based in London, he oversees a global news & features team based in NY, LA and beyond. Geeks WorldWidepreviously reported in October 2021 thataWorld War Hulkmovie is in development with a 2022 production date, butupdates have since been scarce. This was fine in the freewheeling 2000s when Marvel stood as its own thing, but now under Disney creates a conflict - they would be loaning out an IP so another company can make money off it. But while these two Marvel icons are the studios' intellectual property, a distribution rights deal with Universal for those characters' films with Marvel Studios existed before the Mouse moved into the House of Ideas. Don't hold your breath. 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"). Disney intends to regain distribution rights to the character within 15 years, according to the 15-year period. KEEP READING: She-Hulk Fan Proves Tatiana Maslany Looks Just Like the MCU Superhero Despicable Me Minion Mayhem: Must be 40 inches (102 cm) tall. According to a 2002 report, Walt Disney was in talks to purchase archrival Universal. Sure, anything could happen if the deal ends, but whats most likely is they just renew the deal. 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. Marvel Studios and Universal Pictures have had a long and complicated relationship. based on the reaction to the character since The Avengers, it's working. Marvel Studios and Sony have mutually terminated their Spider-Man franchise. Well, unfortunately, probably not. As part of any such package, the House of Mouse stands a chance tofinallyregain two key Marvel franchises. Hulk Hogan Signed Universal Champion Red Wrestling Belt. Its just not a smart move. The Company distributes all Marvel-produced films with the exception of The Incredible Hulk, which is distributed by Universal Pictures. The Hulk might be coming home as rumors are spreading that claim Marvel now completely owns the rights to the big, green and angry hero, which could potentially lead to a new series of standalone films for the Hulk. But they did not obtain the distribution rights, which Universal still has today. But Hulk is, shockingly, even more complex than that. The Marvel Universe is home to some of the most iconic characters in pop culture. 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. } } 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. If, or when, Universal chooses to forgo distribution, Disney will immediately pick up those distribution rights for a solo Hulk movie. The scrappy little movie company led by Kevin Feige could make movies, but it had no way to get them into theaters. The actual Hulk character had limited screen time in the first two standalone movies, with Bruce Banner involved in much of the action. In recent years, Marvel has been trying to get the rights to its characters back from Universal, but has had little success. Thiswould ultimately be a very small part of any deal, but outside of combining Disney+ and Hulu,a potential sale - the streamer is valued between$19.8 billion and $27.5 billion - has the potential to add as much $13 to stock prices. 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. 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. Community Guidelines | 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. For now, Marvel and Disney think the character works better as part of an ensemble. The Hulk deal between Marvel and Universal is explained in-depth, with no standalone movie planned for the immediate future. This may come as a disappointment to many, who wish for a Namor solo film after his fantastic debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. 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. 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. 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. The Incredible Hulk was marketed differently by the studio, Marvel Studios. Exploring The Possibility Of Superman Growing Up With Parents: What Could Have Been? They have made great strides to do so and have been very successful in that regard. 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. 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. Trademark | Why Bob Iger Returning to Disney May Be Bad for Marvel Fans. Those who own physical media copies of those early Marvel films will know both Paramount and Universal distributed those films. There hasnt been a Hulk solo movie since 2008, which is because the film rights are tied up with Universal Pictures. This is why The Incredible Hulk, the character's only solo outing in the MCU, was distributed by Universal. So what does this mean for The Hulk and his future in the MCU? The film production company is a joint venture between Disney and Marvel. RELATED: Why Were the Hulk's Pants Always Purple? Since the opening of Universals Islands of Adventure in 2001, fans of Marvel have found familiar characters there. Throughout the day, various Spider-Man and Marvel merchandise will be available for purchase. 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. The Return Of Superman: A Show That Positively Portrays Fathers, The 1978 Superman Film And Its Iconic Sequel Superman II. 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. But why? While Disney and Marvel hold the rights to develop films starring The Hulk, the companies announced an agreement with Universal and Marvel in June 2008 to distribute The Incredible Hulk. According to a 2008 SEC filing, Universal has the authority to hold Hulk for up to 15 years, which expires in June 2023. 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. 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. He works better when surrounded by a team, with the character not having to shoulder a whole movie on his own. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. After Ang Lee's regrettable Hulk film in 2003, Universal agreed to let Marvel Studios make the next picture, distributing The Incredible Hulk. 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. She-Hulk will premiere on Disney+ in 2022. About | 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.