(function() { Big changes have been taking place behind the scenes at Disney ever since Bob Iger returned as CEO, with one popular theory being that the company will sell its 67% stake in Hulu. 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. While both are highly expected to be important to the MCU's future, they will only be able to be used in the way Hulk has been thus far. RELATED: Why Bob Iger Returning to Disney May Be Bad for Marvel Fans. 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. 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. The opportunity to expand on Disneys involvement in the Marvel universe is one of the most promising things to come. 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. The film audience for the title didn't grow between movies, which is seen as a bad sign. Hulk will return in She-Hulk: Attorney at Lawwhen it premieres on August 18, exclusively on Disney+. Its speculated that either storyline would cost over $200 million. Apex Legends vs Fornite which is better? } Like Thanos, Marvel did it themselves by starting a film production company. Disney and Marvel made Iron Man 2 with Paramount distributing the movie. Avengers simulator rides are permitted in certain legal zones in other countries. In recent years, Marvel has been trying to get the rights to its characters back from Universal, but has had little success. Im Joel Watson and Im a content manager at veryaware.com, an entertainment website. Home Movie News Hulk Movie Rights Still At Universal. College of the Canyons - 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, California, USA. "While Disney owns all Marvel IP, Universal has distribution rights to Hulk and Namor," the analyst wrote. Its just not a smart move. Things getcomplicated here as The Wrap's report begins getting into the financial complications such a deal would involve. The Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ending established that Namor was almost using Wakanda to gain his long-awaited war on the surface world, meaning he could potentially appear in an antagonistic role again in a future Black Panther film. 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. The Hulk deal between Marvel and Universal is explained in-depth, with no standalone movie planned for the immediate future. 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. 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. Marvel Studios' Phase 4 and 5 slates may be filled to the brim for now, but there are still plenty of release opportunities left in Phase 6 and beyond. This, therefore, means that the futures of both characters still rest on Universal. 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. Universal currently holds the rights to several Marvel characters, including the Hulk, Namor the Sub-Mariner, and the Incredible Hulk. callback: cb I guarantee you will not be disappointed. Obviously, that makes their usage in the Marvel Cinematic Universe all the more tricky. forms: { In addition to Sony still having the film rights to Spider-Man-related characters, Universal Pictures continues to hold the distribution rights to solo movies about The Hulk and Namor the. 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.) Namor the Sub-Mariner was introduced to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Phase 4's culminating film, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, despite the character's rights being owned by Universal Pictures. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. Disney intends to regain distribution rights to the character within 15 years, according to the 15-year period. Marvel regained cinematic rights to the character in 2005 after Universal failed to make a follow-up to Ang Lee's Hulk movie. The Security and Exchange Commission filing from 2008 allows Universal to hold Hulk movie rights for 15 years, which would expire June 2023. Universal and Marvel reached an agreement in 2008 for the former to distributeThe Incredible Hulkwhich starred Edward Norton as Bruce Banner before he was recast with Mark Ruffalo forThe Avengers. 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. If for some reason Universal chose to forgo distribution, then Disney would immediately pick up the distribution rights for the Hulk movie. The Marvel Cinematic Universe's relationship with the Incredible Hulk has been relatively awkward since the film was released in 2008. So from all this, there's no official barrier to another MCU Hulk movie. In March 2008, a short teaser trailer for The Incredible Hulk was released. While few details are on-the-record, the relationship between Universal and Disney is frosty at best. Do you think we'll eventually see solo Hulk and Namor movies? 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. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. As the Fox-Disney deal goes to completion and Marvel Studios versions of the Fantastic Four and X-Men movies are released, Disney will now get all the revenue from merchandise and doesnt have to share with Fox. Similarly, with Namor, Marvel could make a TV series focused on Talokan, where the character appears but is not the protagonist. The Marvel trend is extremely profitable for Disney. in a statement, a spokesperson for Universal Studios Hollywood said the park experienced a "brief power dip which resulted in exiting guests from some attractions", due to a "power interruption" from the utility Southern California Edison. That means more production time and higher costs with the extensive effects necessary. Disney has the ability to use this property in a variety of ways, including making new movies, TV shows, and games. Both Planet Hulk and the long rumored World War Hulk would be incredibly expensive to pull off on the big screen the right way. 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. The situation is more of a standoff between Disney and Universal where neither wants to give, and so Marvel are just dealing with it. 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. Despite never getting a sequel, the character has remained a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In 2009, Disney paid $4 billion for Marvel, and the agreement is a long-term one, as long as Universal keeps paying Disney. 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. 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. 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. A film starring Hulk was first floated in 1990, with Universal having bought the movie rights. This category includes She Hulk as well. It has not been agreed to at this time, according to sources. The Avengers Campus will be the first Avenger theme park in the United States. I've been working in the online publishing industry for over 10 years and have a passion for creating engaging, entertaining content. Disney purchased Marvel Universal to ensure the continuation of their partnership. Is Superman Gay? 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. From Spider-Man and the X-Men to Iron Man and Captain America, the Marvel Universe is full of super-powered heroes and villains. Disney intends to regain distribution rights to the character within 15 years, according to the 15-year period. This isn't the main reason we haven't heard an announcement on Planet Hulk or any other Hulk movie, though. Marvel confirmed rights involving Hulk and Namor are still with Universal, meaning the Disney-owned characters will probably never get solo movies. Iger, for example, is thought to own 500,000 Disney shares. Black Panther: Wakanda Foreverwill introduce the Atlantean ruler, played by Tenoch Huerta, but his MCU future remains up in the air as of now. This complicated legal issue has since led the MCU to limit Hulk to supporting roles and omit solo projects altogether. However, if Disney decided against buying out Comcast's 33% stake, then that company might choose to acquire the entire service. Despite the fact that Marvel is housed at Universal Studios, it is not a part of the park. Enter the username or e-mail you used in your profile. Many fans have been wondering if this is true, and what is going on with the rights between Universal and Marvel. 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. Universal landed the film rights to Hulk and Namor in the early 2000s. From growing up having favorite films like The Lion King and The Iron Giant to becoming a major Star Wars and MCU fan, Hollywood blockbusters are Lewis main interests. 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. That being said, the three characters they dont own are still part of the MCU. Marvel characters were licensed to Universal Studios in 1994. . Paramount also distributed the first Iron Man, Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor. Sony will continue to produce all Spider-Man and Spidey films until at least nine months have passed. 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. Universal was the first studio to release a Marvel movie, with the 2003 film Hulk. Condition: New. It is not possible for Disney or Universal to use the Marvel name in their parks because they have a long-term agreement. Member of the Marvel Studios brain trust Nate Moore revealed Namor's rights are, just like the Hulk's, tied up with a pre-Disney distribution deal with Universal. 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. If Marvel feels there is enough interest to justify a solo movie, they will definitely jump at the chance. Despicable Me Minion Mayhem: Must be 40 inches (102 cm) tall. 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. Disney CEO Bob Iger, in describing these contracts to his staff, stated that they were business-friendly. Could this change? This follows how Hulk has been utilized in the MCU. 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. 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. About | 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. 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. Advertise, Funny Superhero (DC & Marvel) Shirts & Stickers. Universal Could Be Considering Selling The Film Rights To THE HULK And NAMOR Back To Disney, A new report suggests there's a good chance Universal Pictures might finally sell the rights to the, During the recent D23 expo, we learned that Tim Blake Nelson would reprise the role of Dr. Samuel Sterns, aka The Leader, in, Mark Ruffalo talks more about that big reveal in the latest episode of. } 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. 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. 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. RUMOR: Hulk Movie Rights Could Be Returning to Disney in June 2023 August 14, 2022 Haley Dalton While Disney and Marvel hold rights to develop movies starring The Hulk, Universal and Marvel reached an agreement in June 2008 to distribute "The Incredible Hulk." Image source: The Direct Disney paid $4 billion in 2009 for Marvel Entertainment, making it the largest acquisition in history. Namor will make his MCU debut inBlack Panther: Wakanda Foreverwhich hits theaters on November 11. Namor will make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which will be released in theaters on November 11. There has been speculation about a Marvel-themed park at Disney in the past, but nothing has come to fruition. 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. 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). This may come as a shock to new age readers but no, Marvel Studios does not actually have the movie rights to The Hulk. What makes Marvel movies so special is that they are able to appeal to a wide range of people. The last we heard on the matter came from Mark Ruffalo, who pointed the finger squarely at Universal not playing nice with Marvel. Universal's Film Rights Dictate The Future Of Namor & The Hulk The future of both the Hulk and Namor rest solely on Universal. Over the past few years, Marvel Studios has set out to acquire most of the rights to Marvel Comics characters. Hulk appearing as a secondary character in the MCU receives just as much attention as other main characters like Thor and Iron Man, as the solo Hulk film. With the acquisition of Marvel in 2004, Disney increased its popularity even further among people who do not read comic books. The studio wants to keep him as a 'special event' character, which raises the profile of an ensemble movie like these two mentioned, or Captain America: Civil War, where Bruce Banner is rumored to appear next. In recent years, it has been widely speculated as to why Disney and Marvel Entertainment havent worked together on a Marvel-themed theme park. Universal Studios has the rights to many of these characters, and has used them in a variety of theme park attractions and live shows. A new Hulk movie would have to be given over to the Green Goliath, with the story revolving around an entirely CGI Hulk. The Return Of Superman: A Show That Positively Portrays Fathers, The 1978 Superman Film And Its Iconic Sequel Superman II. Lewis Glazebrook is a Senior Features writer for Screen Rant. Played by Tenoch Huerta, this interpretation is a massive hit with fans, both diehards and those unfamiliar with Namor. He once asked Tom Cruise about his supposedly fake-butt in Valkyrie (he swore it was all real). window.mc4wp.listeners.push( Still, Marvel Studios has plenty of options to get around this deal, some of which fans have already seen. 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. Disney will only own Marvels parks if it acquires the rights to them from Universal. on: function(evt, cb) { 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. All logos and images used on this website are registered trademarks of their respective companies. The Incredible Hulk was marketed differently by the studio, Marvel Studios. Marvel Super Hero Island is part of Universals Islands of Adventure in Orlando, Florida. Planet Hulk could be as close as 2021.The real question is, are you willing to wait that long? The film would go on to gross $134 million in the United States and $264 million worldwide, bringing its total to $134 million. The Company distributes all Marvel-produced films with the exception of The Incredible Hulk, which is distributed by Universal Pictures. 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. She-Hulk will premiere on Disney+ in 2022. 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. They do own the distribution rights for Incredible Hulk (2008), currently, but not necessarily to Hulk as a franchise. The Controversial Comic Book Reveal, 5 Superhero Games You Should Download Today. The past box office for these films does not justify that as a solid business plan. However, as is known from the Hulk in the MCU since The Incredible Hulk, this is not to say Marvel Studios cannot use Hulk or Namor at all. Like with Spider-Man, there is scope for some agreement, although the current terms don't leave much room for negotiation. 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 Based out of North East England, Lewis has a deep passion for all kinds of media that began at a young age. 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? Let us know in the comments. 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. HULK: Marvel Studios May Finally Regain The Jade Giant's Theatrical Rights From Universal In 2023 The last time the MCU's Jade Giant starred in his own movie was 2008's The Incredible Hulk,. They have made great strides to do so and have been very successful in that regard. In 2009, the CEO of Disney acknowledged the importance of Marvels intellectual property rights when Disney purchased Marvel. 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. 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. As Mark Ruffalo, who took over playing Bruce Banner/Hulk from Edward Norton after The Incredible Hulk, explained in 2017, Marvel Studios President/Chief Creative Officer Kevin Feige "pulled me aside before [Thor: Ragnarok], and said, If you were gonna do a if we were going to do a standalone Hulk movie, what would it be?" After Ruffalo told Feige what he had in mind, his ideas were integrated into not only Ragnarokbut also Infinity War and Endgame. However, it's not like there's no Hulk in the MCU. Published Nov 30, 2022 Marvel confirmed rights involving Hulk and Namor are still with Universal, meaning the Disney-owned characters will probably never get solo movies. Universal Orlando Resort. In 1994, Universal Studios obtained the rights to license the Marvel comic books theme parks. 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. In addition to Universal Orlandos ownership of Marvel characters in theme parks for a few decades now in an agreement that appears to be indefinite, the company reportedly has a deal in place with The Simpsons that will expire in 2028. There hasn't been a Hulk solo movie since 2008, which is because the film rights are tied up with Universal Pictures. Hulk in particular is a character that has suffered a bit because Universal owns the movie rights. Since Hulk came out in June of 2008 this means that the agreement could end in June of 2023. The relationship between Marvel and Universal is complicated, to say the least. So what does this mean for The Hulk and his future in the MCU? As has been known since Disney's acquisition of Marvel Studios in 2009, the distribution rights for certain Marvel characters have rested with Universal Pictures. / 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. 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. The most important verbiage is that Universal owns the rights to Marvel "in perpetuity"; meaning for as long as the contract is in good standing. New Movie News, Movie Trailers & upcoming Movie Reviews, Why Marvel's Complex Namor & Hulk Rights Mean They'll Never Get Solo Movies. This is important because it made Hulk a multimedia star at a time when Marvel was cautious of the big screen. 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. For the latest Disney Parks news and info, follow WDW News Today onTwitter,Facebook, andInstagram. } 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. The company obtained film rights, intellectual property, and a production company in addition to Marvel movie rights. This deal was completed earlier this year between NBC Universal and The Blackstone Group, which owns 50% of Universal Orlando. According to evidence shared on Reddit by u/vidoardes, Disney is in a position to regain distribution rights to the Hulk in 2023. Disneys $71 billion purchase of 21st Century Fox in March 2019 is the largest acquisition in history. Disney does not permit the use of the comic book character at any of its theme parks in the United States or Canada. Although Marvel has the rights to Hulk back, it is unable to release a standalone Hulk movie thanks to . 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. 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. RELATED:MODOK Trends with Zack Snyder's 'Rebel Moon'. Indie-made films and has learned to love film from all walks of life. The Incredible Hulk - Owned By Universal. The report notes that Sony and Fox have to pay to create and distribute the movies, while Disney still retains the merchandise rights. Now Open - Get Details. Throughout the day, various Spider-Man and Marvel merchandise will be available for purchase. Marvel theme park rights are the exclusive rights to use Marvel intellectual property at an amusement park or other theme park setting. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, and of course Netflix and chill!