Sony's Live-Action Spider-Verse Defies Expectations, Delivering an Epic Comic Book Movie Spectacle

Sony’s live-action Spider-Verse franchise, from Morbius to Kraven the Hunter to the Venom films, exemplifies the flaws in comic book movies. In the past, the genre seemed unstoppable with Avengers: Endgame breaking records and Joker achieving a billion-dollar box office milestone as the first R-rated film. However, the fatigue of superhero movies has now taken hold, and simply having a recognizable brand in the title won't suffice for a generic and formulaic comic book film. The disappointments of The Flash, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania attest to this.

On the other hand, the successes of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse in 2023 reveal the simple solution to superhero fatigue: produce exceptional movies. If a comic book film truly captivates audiences, evoking genuine emotions like Guardians Vol. 3 or showcasing inventive and creative visuals like Across the Spider-Verse, viewers will flock to theaters. Sony's feeble endeavors to expand its own Marvel Comics-based cinematic universe epitomize the worst of what the superhero movie genre has to offer.

Venom And Venom 2 Were Underwhelming

Sony's live-action Spider-Verse franchise has seen its biggest box office success with the Venom movies. However, the weak scripts and rushed pacing of these films have diminished the complexity of the eponymous antihero, reducing him to a traditional protagonist who triumphs over the villain for the greater good. The franchise primarily relies on Tom Hardy, whose splendidly eccentric dual performance as Eddie Brock and the titular symbiote remains the sole reason to watch these movies. Without Hardy's exceptional talent, the Venom movies would have likely failed. Unfortunately, even with the involvement of acclaimed director Andy Serkis and the introduction of Venom's iconic nemesis, Carnage, Venom: Let There Be Carnage still failed to meet expectations. Sony is now working on Venom 3, set to release in October 2024. Hardy once again collaborates with Kelly Marcel, who will make her directorial debut with the threequel. Notably, esteemed actors Chiwetel Ejiofor and Juno Temple from the popular show Ted Lasso have joined the cast in undisclosed roles. However, given the disappointment of the first two films, there is not much anticipation surrounding the upcoming installment.

Morbius Was A Big Failure (Twice)

After the initial success of the first two Venom movies, Sony ventured into uncharted territory with Morbius, a standalone supervillain origin story. With its captivating narrative centered around a vampiric antihero, Morbius had the potential to become the next Blade. Unfortunately, this potential was squandered by the casting of Jared Leto, whose lackluster performance failed to bring the necessary charisma to the character. Moreover, the screenplay followed the predictable formula of a protagonist acquiring superpowers, grappling with their newfound responsibility, and ultimately transforming into a hero. Consequently, when Morbius made its theatrical debut, it was met with the anticipated disappointment at the box office. Subsequently, Sony decided to re-release the film in response to a wave of ironic memes in hopes of recouping their losses. However, the second release was met with the same dismal response, making it quite a remarkable feat for a movie to fail not only once, but twice.

Kraven Looks Totally Generic

Sony’s latest Marvel-based film, Kraven the Hunter, fails to surpass the quality of Venom or Morbius. In fact, it may be even worse as it was poorly conceptualized right from the start. Kraven the Hunter highlights the challenge of creating standalone movies for supervillains. The intriguing aspect of Kraven as a character lies in his role as a big-game hunter who sees Spider-Man as the ultimate prey, going to any lengths to track down and eliminate everyone's favorite friendly neighborhood webslinger. His significance stems from his connection to Spider-Man. However, in Sony's new movie, Spider-Man is absent, resulting in a generic antihero portrayal of Kraven.

Sony’s foray into the Marvel movie franchise, referred to by various names including Sony’s Marvel Universe, Sony’s Universe of Marvel Characters, the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters, and Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (but curiously not the Spider-Verse), serves as a prime example of the struggles faced by comic book films. The only motivation behind creating movies centered around Morbius or Kraven the Hunter is due to Sony's ownership of the film rights. There is no compelling narrative or relatable character driving these films; rather, the studio is simply seeking a quick financial gain while underestimating the preferences of its audience.

Perhaps Sony has an unexpected surprise in store, and Kraven the Hunter emerges as a masterpiece in disguise. However, judging from the trailer, this outcome appears highly unlikely. The glimpses provided in the trailer suggest that the film will follow the formula of a typical high-budget thriller with a focus on animal-based action. Following that, Sony's next Marvel project, Madame Web, may benefit from the star power of Sydney Sweeney, but its prospects beyond that seem bleak. There is minimal demand for movies centered around characters like El Muerto, Nightwatch, Jackpot, or Hypno-Hustler. Furthermore, the long-delayed Sinister Six undertaking will lose its purpose without the inclusion of Spider-Man.