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. Disney would distribute a Hulk movie to Marvel Studios, allowing the studio to begin production. The rights to both characters are currently tangled up with Universal. No, Universal does not own any Marvel characters. 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). The Avengers Campus will be the first Avenger theme park in the United States. Based out of North East England, Lewis has a deep passion for all kinds of media that began at a young age. { Phase three of the film series will begin with Captain America: Civil War, followed by Doctor Strange (2016) and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. Despite never getting a sequel, the character has remained a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Fury of the Gods Special: Shazamily Matters, 10 Marvel Movies That Were Set Up To Fail, 10 Sci-Fi Films That Bombed At The Box Office But Became Cult Classics, Quantumania's MODOK Actor Defends His Ant-Man Role After Fan Backlash. All of that makes a Hulk movie a tricky prospect. 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. Also, after She-Hulk introduced Skaar, Hulk's son, and began planting seeds of a Hulk story many have longed to see, it is no secret that solo films for both characters would be welcome in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Have Marvel's Problems With Hulk's Character Rights Changed? - ScreenRant It has over 6,000 characters and is one of the worlds most valuable comic book franchises. 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 Universal has the first refusal opportunityto distribute the project, Disney may have regained the rights but have yet to be supported by anything definitive, but there are still plenty of release opportunities left in Phase 6 and beyond, Spider-Verse 2 Reportedly Includes Major MCU Phase 4 Reference, Andor Season 2 Director Just Deleted This New Set Photo After Sharing Online, Avatar 3: Disney Is Secretly Teasing Sequels New Characters, Robert Pattinsons Batman Universe Just Recast 1 Gotham Character, The Mandalorian Season 3: Episode 2's Longer Runtime Revealed In Advance, Ant-Man 3: Quantumania's Post-Credits Scenes Count Confirmed, Michael B. Jordan Shares Blunt Response to Black Superman Casting Rumors, Daredevil Actors Hit the Gym for Disney+ Reboot (Photos), Ant-Man 3 Writer Refuses to Listen to Fans Criticizing MODOK: 'They're Wrong', Ant-Man 3's Disappointing Reviews: Kang Actor Breaks Silence on Negative Reaction. For removal of copyrighted images, trademarks, or other issues, Contact Us. Well, its likely that Universal and Marvel could renew the contract like Marvel did with Sony in 2019. Spider-Man, Captain America, Cyclops, Wolverine, Storm, and Rogue are just a few of the Marvel heroes and villains you can meet at the theme park. This complicated legal issue has since led the MCU to limit Hulk to supporting roles and omit solo projects altogether. Mark Ruffalo has now played Bruce Banner in four movies (counting his cameo in Iron Man 3), yet none have been a full-on Hulk standalone - and that doesn't look like it'll change in future. . Yet due to Universal Pictures releasing the prior Hulk film, they held the distribution rights to The Incredible Hulk. ); Universal owns distribution rights, which means they have the right of "first refusal" to any Hulk film. 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. 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. Marvel's rights are a complicated affair as the character's distribution rights belong to Universal. What's also unclear is if the distribution deal also extends to TV. Some of the content presented on our sites has been provided by fans, other unofficial websites or online news sources, and is the sole responsibility of the source from which it was obtained. Disney purchased Marvel Universal to ensure the continuation of their partnership. And as the past has shown, the previous two Hulk movies came nowhere close to those numbers. 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. Disney will be able to make Marvel-based films with the deal. 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. The second reason is that Hulk has proven to be quite popular in Marvel's The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron. . A film starring Hulk was first floated in 1990, with Universal having bought the movie rights. Incidents at Universal parks - Wikipedia Marvel confirmed rights involving Hulk and Namor are still with Universal, meaning the Disney-owned characters will probably never get solo movies. 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. Superheroes & Villains Marvel Studios Still Doesn't Own The Movie Rights To 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. (function() { So from all this, there's no official barrier to another MCU Hulk movie. 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. It's well known that characters' movie rights have a big influence on the Marvel films made. A new Hulk movie would have to be given over to the Green Goliath, with the story revolving around an entirely CGI Hulk. The rights of Hulk belonged to Universal similar to Spider-Man's rights in Sony The film was Universal Pictures' second attempt at a Hulk film after the critical and commercial disappointment of Ang Lee's 2003 film. The scrappy little movie company led by Kevin Feige could make movies, but it had no way to get them into theaters. Namor can be used in the same manner as the Hulk in the MCU, namely as part of an ensemble, antagonistic role, or cameo. Don't hold your breath. Power was fully restored, the . This is similar to how Namor can be used in the future. The Marvel brand is not permitted by Disney to be used in the licensing of Marvel content to U.S. theme parks. Hulk Movie Rights Explained, Solo Movie Still Years Away, 10 Movies That Were Rated R for Basically No Reason, 10 Greatest Classic Movies of All Time, Ranked by Rotten Tomatoes, 15 Critically Panned Movies that Somehow Got Sequels. Exploring The Possibility Of Superman Growing Up With Parents: What Could Have Been? Nope, The Batman Spinoff The Penguin Now Filming, Batman George Clooney Rumored For The Flash, Marvels Ant-Man 3 Breaks Batman vs Superman Record. If, or when, Universal chooses to forgo distribution, Disney will immediately pick up those distribution rights for a solo Hulk movie. 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. 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. And that's the minimum. For now, Marvel and Disney think the character works better as part of an ensemble. Marvel Studios and Sony have mutually terminated their Spider-Man franchise. Like with Spider-Man, there is scope for some agreement, although the current terms don't leave much room for negotiation. RELATED: Why Were the Hulk's Pants Always Purple? In 2009, Disney paid $4 billion for Marvel, and the agreement is a long-term one, as long as Universal keeps paying Disney. Before the days of the MCU, the characters from the many Marvel Comics were almost shared out among other Hollywood studios. That's still Universal . Despite being one of the founding Avengers, the Hulk has had an arguably small role to play in the MCU as the only member of the team not to lead a solo project since Phase 1. Many fans have been wondering if this is true, and what is going on with the rights between Universal and Marvel. 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. Disney (DIS) might let go of Hulu in favor of the Hulk, at least according to one media analyst. The Hulk deal between Marvel and Universal is explained in-depth, with no standalone movie planned for the immediate future. Marvel licensed the rights to X-Men and Fantastic Four characters to 20th Century Fox in the 1990s. so what's up with hulk rights? : r/marvelstudios - Reddit Universal/Marvel Hulk Sequel Rights Clarified - IGN Fans of Marvel Comics' history know that the effort to get its characters on TV and into the movies was decades in the making and pioneered by Stan Lee. College of the Canyons - 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Santa Clarita, California, USA. With the acquisition of Marvel in 2004, Disney increased its popularity even further among people who do not read comic books. Counting in marketing costs and everything else that goes along with it, a solo Hulk movie would have to break $750 million worldwide to be economically viable. Why Bob Iger Returning to Disney May Be Bad for Marvel Fans. With the current state of Hulk's distribution rights sitting up in the air, new evidence has been uncovered to suggest when Disney will reacquire the rights. Still, Marvel Studios has plenty of options to get around this deal, some of which fans have already seen. Contact | The World-Famous Studio Tour. 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. Disney intends to regain distribution rights to the character within 15 years, according to the 15-year period. After Ang Lee's regrettable Hulk film in 2003, Universal agreed to let Marvel Studios make the next picture, distributing The Incredible Hulk. In addition to Disney and Marvel, Universal has the first right to distribute the Hulk movies. Marvel characters were licensed to Universal Studios in 1994. Universal Studios Hollywood Height Requirements - 40 Inches or Taller. In addition to Disney and Marvel, Universal has the first right to distribute the Hulk movies. The most likely answer is that Universal is the exclusive licensee of the Marvel brand. Citi Thinks Disney Could Trade Hulu for Hulk - thewrap.com To say Marvel Studios is unlikely to work with Universal to distribute a solo MCU film might be stating the obvious. After being recast as Mark Ruffalo (a choice unrelated to rights issues - it was the result of Norton not wanting to return), Hulk's appeared in The Avengers, Iron Man 3's post-credits scene, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Thor: Ragnarok and will return in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4. In this video, Sid reveals the possibility The Hulk & Namor Rights could go back to Marvel! Follow Sid On Social Media:Instagram: @therealdoomblazer ~ h. 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. 27 Unearthed legal documents may suggest that Disney and Marvel Studios will regain theatrical distribution rights to The Incredible Hulk and other Hulk films in June 2023. Why Marvel's Namor & Hulk Film Rights Are So Complicated Ended: Feb 21, 2023. Transformers: The Ride-3D: Must be 40 inches (102 cm) tall. The Fabelmans. Disney has the ability to use this property in a variety of ways, including making new movies, TV shows, and games. As The Incredible Hulk was released in 2008, this would mean that Marvel could use Hulk again from 2023 onwards. With Marvel producer Nate Moore recently revealing that both still belong to Universal, it is unclear whether these rumors held any merit. 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. The company obtained film rights, intellectual property, and a production company in addition to Marvel movie rights. 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. 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. The movie rights of Hulk have always been dynamic unlike the character rights of the other superheroes. RELATED: Only Two MCU Villains Have Made Hulk Bleed - and One of Them Is Dead. Universal seems unbending. Is the Disney+ MCU Cutting Into Marvel Studios' Box Office Performance? I would love to see another stand-alone Hulk film, but it just doesnt seem likely. Under the licensing arrangements, the third-party studios incur the costs to produce and distribute the films, and the Company retains the merchandise licensing rights. Avengers simulator rides are permitted in certain legal zones in other countries. Yet, the same would've been said about the Sony and Disney partnership before it happened. 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. Namor will make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which will be released in theaters on November 11. Is Superman Gay? Hulk in particular is a character that has suffered a bit because Universal owns the movie rights. 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. Learn More. Over the past few years, Marvel Studios has set out to acquire most of the rights to Marvel Comics characters. HULK Star Josh Lucas Has Nothing But Good Things To Say About Ang Lee's Divisive Marvel Movie While Marvel Studios is able to include The Hulk and Namor in movies, they've been restricted from. HULK: Marvel Studios May Finally Regain The Jade Giant's Theatrical Universal's Film Rights Dictate The Future Of Namor & The Hulk The future of both the Hulk and Namor rest solely on Universal. 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. 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. Disney has exclusive rights to Marvel theme parks through a deal between the two companies. 3 (2016). All logos and images used on this website are registered trademarks of their respective companies. Disneys purchase of Marvel in 2009 had a big impact on Universal Studios. Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, and Captain America: The First Avenger have all been acquired by Marvel Studios from Paramount. She-Hulk will premiere on Disney+ in 2022. However, also working against that are creative reasons as well as contractual. acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney, Laal Singh Chaddha (2022): The Disastrous Adaptation of Tom Hanks Forrest Gump, Spidey And His Amazing Friends Season Premier at Battery Park, Ryan Cooglers Thank You Letter To Fans Is Making Me Emotional All Over Again. While Hollywood filmmaking will always be his most knowledgeable area, Lewis still enjoys anything in the world of filmmaking. However, as Marvel Studios have not yet made any effort to do so despite Mark Ruffalo's Hulk being such an integral MCU character, it is unlikely to happen. Marvel acquired the rights to the superhero theme park rights from Universal Studios in 1994. New evidence posted to Reddit seems to indicate that Universals Hulk distribution agreement could end in June of 2023. The deal between Universal and Disney is iron clad; however, it may have a time limit. Marvel theme park rights are the exclusive rights to use Marvel intellectual property at an amusement park or other theme park setting. That means that when Marvel Studios wants to make a Hulk movie, they are contractually obligated to ask Universal if they want the distribution rights. The Islands of Adventure at Universal Studios are now open, and Marvels Super Hero Island is available there. Disney may sell its 67% stake in Hulu for more Marvel rights: Citi 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. Indie-made films and has learned to love film from all walks of life. 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. She-Hulk will premiere on Disney+ in 2022. Related: Black Panther 2 Repeats An Infinity War Trick To Make Namor More Powerful. Some people prefer action movies, while others might prefer comedies or dramas. They are the lowest earners in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. } Throughout the day, various Spider-Man and Marvel merchandise will be available for purchase. Despicable Me Minion Mayhem: Must be 40 inches (102 cm) tall. 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. Hulk And Namor Solo Movies Could Depend On Disney's Plans For Hulu So what does this mean for The Hulk and his future in the MCU? So, any Hulk or Namor solo film would become the property of Universal. MCU: New Evidence Reveals When Hulk Movie Rights Could Return to Disney Enter the username or e-mail you used in your profile. Contributing writer for Movieweb since 2001. Namor will make his MCU debut inBlack Panther: Wakanda Foreverwhich hits theaters on November 11. Hulk Movie Production and Distribution Rights - Collider Its speculated that either storyline would cost over $200 million. Avengers Campus is named after the city of Tokyo (the location of Avengers Theme Park). Its the reason there is only one stand-alone Hulk film. Why Marvel Can't Make a Standalone MCU Hulk Movie Black Panther: Wakanda Foreverwill introduce the Atlantean ruler, played by Tenoch Huerta, but his MCU future remains up in the air as of now. Privacy | What this means is Universal cannot make a Hulk movie, with Disney and Marvel unable to distribute a Hulk movie if they choose to move forward and make one. 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. This Marvel attraction is only at Universal Orlando, so you dont have to be a fan of the movies to enjoy it. 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. Im Joel Watson and Im a content manager at veryaware.com, an entertainment website. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. 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. Similarly, with Namor, Marvel could make a TV series focused on Talokan, where the character appears but is not the protagonist. 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 such, if Disney makes a Hulk or Namor film, Comcast can distribute the film on Peacock. Universal Pictures distribution rights for future Hulk - ResetEra