Spider-Man Will Join The Marvel Cinematic Universe

Sony Pictures and Disney have officially announced that Marvel Studios will produce the next Spider-Man movie. Feel that? Marvel fans around the world are jumping up and down with excitement as they will finally get to see Peter Parker join the Marvel Cinematic Universe and possibly share the screen with Robert Downey Jr's Iron Man and Chris Evans' Captain America. Read more about the Spiderman Marvel Studios announcement after the jump.

Here are the facts that have been officially announced:

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Is This a Spider-Man reboot?

Calling the character "the new Spider-man" makes it sound like a reboot of the franchise. The press release does not mention Andrew Garfield or the creative team behind The Amazing Spider-Man series. Marc Webb is almost certainly out at this point. Reportedly, long-time Spider-Man film producer Avi Arad will exec produce the film with Matt Tolmach. That hopefully means they're basically getting that credit and a check as a nod for past efforts, but might not have much to do with the actual film.

In fact, there seems to be confirmation that Andrew Garfield is out, and Peter Parker/Spider-Man will be recast.

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Is the MCU Spider-Man Solo movie really going to go head to head with Thor 3?

The release date of the next installment of the Spider-Man franchise is the same date Marvel was scheduled to release Thor: Ragnarok, which has now been pushed to November 3rd, 2017. In fact, the rest of Marvel's release calendar has been shuffled backward to make room for Spider-Man. (And a reminder: the next solo Spidey film is still technically a Sony effort, but Marvel is clearly running with the opportunity to play with the character.)

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What About the Other Spider-Man Movies Sony Planned, Such as Sinister Six and Venom?

The original plan was for Sony to release Sinister 6 in 2016, following up with the female Spider-man in 2017 before The Amazing Spider-Man 3 in 2018. It seems like all of that is at the very least up in the air. There's one report that Sinister Six is at least delayed, and given the possibility that MCU characters will show up in Spider-Man films, we're guessing that Sony is now re-thinking the entire plan it had laid out for other Spider-Man spin-off films and sequels. Given that the main character is being recast, they might have to build casts from the ground up.

Update: Sony will NOT release "Sinister Six" in Nov 2016, source says. Sony delaying, rethinking, but still developing in light of new deal

— Ben Fritz (@benfritz) February 10, 2015

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Where will Spider-Man appear first?

Saying that the character will first appear in a "Marvel film from Marvel's Cinematic Universe" before the July 28th 2017 solo film means that we will either see Spider-Man in Avengers: Age of Ultron (they could easily do additional shooting to include the character), or most likely Captain America: Civil War. Much less likely is that he could also show up in Ant-Man, Doctor Strange, or Guardians of the Galaxy 2 if they wanted.

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Will Spidey Join The Infinity War?

Oh please yes let it happen! (The header image above is, of course, a fun fan-created photoshop.)

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Image via

Here is the official press release:

SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT BRINGS MARVEL STUDIOS INTO THE AMAZING WORLD OF SPIDER-MAN

New Spider-Man Will Appear First in an Upcoming Marvel Film Within Marvel's Cinematic Universe

Marvel's Kevin Feige to Produce Next Installment of the Spider-Man Franchise with Amy Pascal

(Culver City, California, and Burbank, California February 09, 2015) – Sony Pictures Entertainment and Marvel Studios announced today that Sony is bringing Marvel into the amazing world of Spider-Man.

Under the deal, the new Spider-Man will first appear in a Marvel film from Marvel's Cinematic Universe (MCU). Sony Pictures will thereafter release the next installment of its $4 billion Spider-Man franchise, on July 28, 2017, in a film that will be co-produced by Kevin Feige and his expert team at Marvel and Amy Pascal, who oversaw the franchise launch for the studio 13 years ago. Together, they will collaborate on a new creative direction for the web slinger. Sony Pictures will continue to finance, distribute, own and have final creative control of the Spider-Man films.

Marvel and Sony Pictures are also exploring opportunities to integrate characters from the MCU into future Spider-Man films.

The new relationship follows a decade of speculation among fans about whether Spider-Man – who has always been an integral and important part of the larger Marvel Universe in the comic books – could become part of the Marvel Universe on the big screen. Spider-Man has more than 50 years of history in Marvel's world, and with this deal, fans will be able to experience Spider-Man taking his rightful place among other Super Heroes in the MCU.

Bob Iger, Chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company said: "Spider-Man is one of Marvel's great characters, beloved around the world. We're thrilled to work with Sony Pictures to bring the iconic web-slinger into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which opens up fantastic new opportunities for storytelling and franchise building."

"We always want to collaborate with the best and most successful filmmakers to grow our franchises and develop our characters. Marvel, Kevin Feige and Amy, who helped orchestrate this deal, are the perfect team to help produce the next chapter of Spider-Man," said Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. "This is the right decision for the franchise, for our business, for Marvel, and for the fans."

"Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios share a love for the characters in the Spider-Man universe and have a long, successful history of working together. This new level of collaboration is the perfect way to take Peter Parker's story into the future," added Doug Belgrad, president, Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group.

"I am thrilled to team with my friends at Sony Pictures along with Amy Pascal to produce the next Spider-Man movie," said Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige. "Amy has been deeply involved in the realization on film of one of the world's most beloved characters. Marvel's involvement will hopefully deliver the creative continuity and authenticity that fans demand from the MCU. I am equally excited for the opportunity to have Spider-Man appear in the MCU, something which both we at Marvel, and fans alike, have been looking forward to for years."

Spider-Man, embraced all over the world, is the most successful franchise in the history of Sony Pictures, with the five films having taken in more than $4 billion worldwide.