Universal Studios has the rights to many of these characters, and has used them in a variety of theme park attractions and live shows. Avengers simulator rides are permitted in certain legal zones in other countries. Based in London, he oversees a global news & features team based in NY, LA and beyond. In 2021, Lewis graduated from university with a Film and TV Studies degree, earning First Class Honours. And this is true of both in the 1960s and the 2000s. 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.) How long until Marvel gets the full rights for Hulk? The Complicated Relationship Between Marvel And Universal 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. 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. event : evt, The Islands of Adventure at Universal Studios are now open, and Marvels Super Hero Island is available there. Still, Marvel Studios has plenty of options to get around this deal, some of which fans have already seen. Some people prefer action movies, while others might prefer comedies or dramas. While The Incredible Hulk did perform well on the home video market, it wasn't enough to cover marketing costs. Now Lewis spends his time watching endless amounts of film and TV, gaming, and reading, all to further his work as a Screen Rant Features Writer as he tries to widen his knowledge to write about all aspects of film and TV. Spider-Man is one of the Marvel Villains on hand, so dont miss out on the chance to meet him. Hulk Hogan Signed Universal Champion Red Wrestling Belt. For those who don't know, the film rights to everyone's favorite big, green, rage monster are complicated. 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. (function() { RELATED: Why Were the Hulk's Pants Always Purple? In 2012, Marvel and Universal reached a deal that allowed Marvel to produce a new Hulk film, but the rights to the character still remain with Universal. What they own is the "right of first refusal" for distribution of Hulk movies. After Ang Lee's regrettable Hulk film in 2003, Universal agreed to let Marvel Studios make the next picture, distributing The Incredible Hulk. Father, veteran, and storyteller. Community Guidelines | The rights to any film starring Hulk or Namor in a leading role are currently owned by Universal. That may not seem like a big deal, but for investors, it sure would be. Both Namor and the Incredible Hulk are characters Disney owns the rights to use in stories, films or television. He's covered a wide range of movies and TV shows - from digging out obscure MCU Easter eggs to diving deep into deeper meanings of arthouse fare - and has covered a litany of set visits, junkets and film festivals. Since Hulk came out in June of 2008 this means that the agreement could end in June of 2023. Price: US $499.99. Based out of North East England, Lewis has a deep passion for all kinds of media that began at a young age. "The Incredible Hulk" The Incredible Hulk (TV Episode 1977) - IMDb 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. During their stay, attendees can attend superhero training sessions with Iron Man and Black Widow. Under the licensing arrangements for The Fantastic Four and X-Men, the third-party studio pays the Company a licensing fee and receives a share of the Companys merchandise revenue on these properties. Thor: Ragnarok is the MCU's way of getting around making a proper Hulk movie, but why actually can't Marvel make a standalone for Bruce Banner? Why Bob Iger Returning to Disney May Be Bad for Marvel Fans. Yet, over time, the rights to characters came back to Marvel from studios like New Line and Paramount. New evidence posted to Reddit seems to indicate that Universals Hulk distribution agreement could end in June of 2023. Copyright 2020 The Direct Media Group LLC. Children 40-48 inches (102-122 cm) must be accompanied by a supervising companion (14 years or older). Universal May Not Be Holding Up Marvel's Future Plans For Hulk After 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. Guide to Universal Studios Hollywood Height Requirements Children 40-48 inches (102-122 cm) must be . Worth a mention is that the Fantastic Four and X-Men will be returning to Marvel-Disney once the Disney-Fox deal goes through which could be within the next month or two. It is not possible for Disney or Universal to use the Marvel name in their parks because they have a long-term agreement. But that doesn't mean a solo movie won't ever happen. For the Fantastic Four and X-Men, Fox pays Disney a licensing fee and receives a share of Disneys merchandise revenue on these properties. So, any Hulk or Namor solo film would become the property of Universal. Namor can be used in the same manner as the Hulk in the MCU, namely as part of an ensemble, antagonistic role, or cameo. Its been more than a decade since fans first saw The Incredible Hulk sequel starring Mark Ruffalo. The film production company is a joint venture between Disney and Marvel. The Return Of Superman: A Show That Positively Portrays Fathers, The 1978 Superman Film And Its Iconic Sequel Superman II. Despite never getting a sequel, the character has remained a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This may come as a shock to new age readers but no, Marvel Studios does not actually have the movie rights to The Hulk. But they did not obtain the distribution rights, which Universal still has today. } This follows how Hulk has been utilized in the MCU. ); Universal Pictures distribution rights for future Hulk - ResetEra 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. But with Comcast's NBCUniversal controlling the two superheroes' distribution rights, Bazinet suggested a deal could be in the offing. Marvel confirmed rights involving Hulk and Namor are still with Universal, meaning the Disney-owned characters will probably never get solo movies. No standalone Hulk film has been in the works since 2008's The Incredible Hulk, which they produced. listeners: [], "We believe Disney may sell its 67% stake in Hulu," Citi analyst Jason Bazinet wrote in a new note . Marvel Has One Path to Regain Full Hulk, Namor Rights, Analyst Believes callback: cb Universal Studios Hollywood Height Requirements - 40 Inches or Taller. Index | This contract has the potential to be extended every four years by Universal. The Hulk franchise even introduced the "shared universe" concept, with Thor and Daredevil showing up in those shows. 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. So if Marvel went ahead with a Hulk film on their own, they could either buy out Universal's distribution rights, make a deal with the studio that would be mutually beneficial, or just live. MCU: New Evidence Reveals When Hulk Movie Rights Could Return to Disney In 2009, Disney spent $4 billion on Marvel comics. 3 (2016). This may come as a disappointment to many, who wish for a Namor solo film after his fantastic debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. 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). This means that the release of any Hulk/Namor solo film from the initial greenlighting of the film, to theatrical and home releases, as well as sorting out distribution revenue shares and so on falls solely on Universal's shoulders. Well, its likely that Universal and Marvel could renew the contract like Marvel did with Sony in 2019. A movie many fans hope is Planet Hulk. The Fabelmans. 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. Universal's Film Rights Dictate The Future Of Namor & The Hulk The future of both the Hulk and Namor rest solely on Universal. Disney Might Trade Hulu to Comcast for Hulk, Citi Analyst Says 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 movies are not proven at best, unpopular at worst. You may have also seen/heard him on the Total Geekall podcast, unaffiliated YouTube channels, BBC Radio and CBC News. Neither Disney nor Universals theme parks have a single ride that can be used by both. RELATED:The Marvel's Release Date Pushed Back To November. Disney will be able to make Marvel-based films with the deal. Hulk And Namor Solo Movies Could Depend On Disney's Plans For Hulu They are the lowest earners in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 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. The opportunity to expand on Disneys involvement in the Marvel universe is one of the most promising things to come. There hasn't been a Hulk solo movie since 2008, which is because the film rights are tied up with Universal Pictures. Disney would distribute a Hulk movie to Marvel Studios, allowing the studio to begin production. Marvel won back the Hulk movie production rights in 2005, after Universal failed to put a sequel to 2003's Hulk into immediate production. The Hulk deal between Marvel and Universal is explained in-depth, with no standalone movie planned for the immediate future. Universal/Marvel Hulk Sequel Rights Clarified - IGN Disney (DIS) might let go of Hulu in favor of the Hulk, at least according to one media analyst. The report notes that Sony and Fox have to pay to create and distribute the movies, while Disney still retains the merchandise rights. At Universals Islands of Adventure, you can find a wide range of Spider-Man toys. 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. It's well known that characters' movie rights have a big influence on the Marvel films made. 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. 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. There may be a more antagonistic side to this as well. But if Disney can partner with Sony for Spider-Man and buy 20th Century Fox outright for the Fantastic Four and the mutants, why can't it and Universal get their acts together? And 2003's Hulk only made $245 million. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. Yet due to Universal Pictures releasing the prior Hulk film, they held the distribution rights to The Incredible Hulk. Citi analyst Jason Bazinet explains, "While Disney owns all Marvel IP, Universal has distribution rights to Hulk and Namor. Namor will make his MCU debut inBlack Panther: Wakanda Foreverwhich hits theaters on November 11. Over the past few years, Marvel Studios has set out to acquire most of the rights to Marvel Comics 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). Marvel acquired the rights to the superhero theme park rights from Universal Studios in 1994. ComicBookMovie.com is a registered trademark and has been officially registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Lewis Glazebrook is a Senior Features writer for Screen Rant. Growing up in the English countryside on a mixture of Star Wars, The Simpsons and Aardman, Alex is a lifelong movie obsessive. 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. By Matt McGloin / Saturday, January 12, 2019 - 2:04AM. Copyright | Before the days of the MCU, the characters from the many Marvel Comics were almost shared out among other Hollywood studios. However, Universal does still hold the right of first refusal with . As is evident with Marvel Studios' deal with Sony, there are ways the two studios could come together and work out a mutually beneficial deal for Marvel Studios to release solo films for the characters.