Amazon making multiple Sony-Marvel shows; how does it affect Disney?
Sony is going the Amazon way. The Hollywood studio has inked a deal with Amazon Studios to churn out "multiple live-action shows." The announcement on Thursday further revealed that the first project coming out of this agreement will be a Spider-Man spinoff series titled Silk: Spider Society. While MGM+ will be streaming it in the US, Amazon Prime Video will have the honors globally.
Why does this story matter?
Sony owning the Spider-Man franchise has often put the studio at loggerheads with Marvel Studios and Disney. The tension between the giants had nearly darkened the future of Tom Holland's Spider-Man. Disney also inked a deal with Sony last year ensuring all their films, released from 2022-2026, hit Disney platforms once Sony-Netflix deal expires. Now, multiple projects going to Amazon certainly won't delight Disney.
Angela Kang of 'The Walking Dead' fame will be showrunner
Angela Kang (The Walking Dead) will be developing the Silk live-action series. Per Variety, she will serve as the showrunner and executive producer. Another Sony venture, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are also attached to the upcoming production as executive producers. Former Sony honcho Amy Pascal is also executively producing, said reports. Cast details are yet to come.
What is 'Silk: Spider Society' all about?
Coming to the plot, the protagonist will be Cindy Moon aka Silk, a Korean-American character created by Dan Slott and Humberto Ramos. She was bitten by the same irradiated spider as Peter Parker, thus developing similar but unique web-slinging abilities. Aided by an eidetic memory, Moon has advanced Spider-Sense (known as Silk Sense), and greater speed, but less superhuman strength than Parker.
Moon has already debuted in MCU though
Although things have started moving in 2022, Sony has been planning the production of Silk since 2018, per Deadline. Interestingly, Marvel fans have already seen Moon in Sony-backed Spider-Man: Homecoming where she was played by Tiffany Espensen. Reportedly, Espensen returned to play the character in Avengers: Infinity War (remember the bus scene?) but we don't know if she will lead the solo project.
Sony has rights to over 900 'Spider-Man' characters
Amazon was reported to have been trying to acquire Silk and shows on other Marvel characters in 2020. Sony owns over 900 Marvel characters in the Spider-Man universe, and any of these could now get translated on the screens. Apart from Spider-Man movies (made in collaboration with Marvel Studios), Sony has produced Venom and Morbius live-action films. A Madame Web film is coming.
