Since 2008, Marvel Studios has also acquired the rights to Ghost Rider, Blade, Daredevil, and a slew of others. listeners: [], The Incredible Hulk Coaster. An SECfiling from 2006 notes Universal Studios' agreement to distribute The Incredible Hulk under the same terms as a similar deal with Paramount: The movie rights of Hulk have always been dynamic unlike the character rights of the other superheroes. This deal was completed earlier this year between NBC Universal and The Blackstone Group, which owns 50% of Universal Orlando. I guarantee you will not be disappointed. However, Universal does still hold the right of first refusal with . Disney does not permit the use of the comic book character at any of its theme parks in the United States or Canada. The most likely answer is that Universal is the exclusive licensee of the Marvel brand. In 2009, Disney paid $4 billion for Marvel, and the agreement is a long-term one, as long as Universal keeps paying Disney. Although, Disney may need to be quick to get started on a Hulk-centric project as Mark Ruffalo may well be looking to move on from the role soon after over ten years as Bruce Banner. There are also Marvel villains such as Doctor Doom and the Green Goblin. Now, it could be simply the company wasn't going to give up their ability to call on the powerful clause rather than actual disagreement, but it's clear the whole situation comes down to that. Screen Rant's Managing Editor, Alex Leadbeater has been covering film online since 2012 and been a permanent fixture of SR since 2016. Since then, there have been 22 movies released in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with more planned for the future. 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. This complicated legal issue has since led the MCU to limit Hulk to supporting roles and omit solo projects altogether. Marvel has been trying to get the rights to these characters back for years, but has had little success. Many have been desperate to see a sequel toThe Incredible Hulkwith Mark Ruffalo for over a decade, andShe-Hulkhas so far been the closest Marvel has been able to offer due to legal agreements. Index | Could this change? However, it's not like there's no Hulk in the MCU. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, and of course - Netflix and chill! The actual Hulk character had limited screen time in the first two standalone movies, with Bruce Banner involved in much of the action. These parks feature rides of the highest quality, in addition to Marvel movies long history with them. Disney intends to regain distribution rights to the character within 15 years, according to the 15-year period. (The Culver Institue Laboratory) 2 of 2 found this interesting. Marvel and Sony Strike a Deal in 1998 to License the Film Rights to Spider-Man and 900 Related Characters Back when superheroes were still in their infancy, Sony and Marvel struck a deal to license the film rights to Spider-Man and 900 related characters. in a statement, a spokesperson for Universal Studios Hollywood said the park experienced a "brief power dip which resulted in exiting guests from some attractions", due to a "power interruption" from the utility Southern California Edison. The problem isn't really story, but practical: Marvel can't make a Hulk solo film.It's been a staggering nine years since The Incredible Hulk and despite talk of a direct follow-up or tangential solo outing for Bruce Banner and his enraged alter ego, none have come to pass; it's been proven that supposed leaks suggesting development were false and Marvel Studios has repeatedly said it's off the cards, with Thor: Ragnarok even delivering on long-desired standalone outing Planet Hulk. Disney once again confirms they distribute all the Marvel-produced films except for The Incredible Hulk, which is distributed by Universal Pictures. As part of any such package, the House of Mouse stands a chance tofinallyregain two key Marvel franchises. With a budget of $8.25 million, the film has the lowest budget of any Marvel film. The Hulk Surely Marvel owns The Hulk! All logos and images used on this website are registered trademarks of their respective companies. Warning: This article contains spoilers for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. 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. In 1994, Universal Studios obtained the rights to license the Marvel comic books theme parks. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The Incredible Hulk - Owned By Universal. It is not possible to create Marvel-based versions of Universal characters. A film starring Hulk was first floated in 1990, with Universal having bought the movie rights. If, or when, Universal chooses to forgo distribution, Disney will immediately pick up those distribution rights for a solo Hulk movie. The Black Panther: Wakanda Forever ending established that Namor was almost using Wakanda to gain his long-awaited war on the surface world, meaning he could potentially appear in an antagonistic role again in a future Black Panther film. Disney has exclusive rights to Marvel theme parks through a deal between the two companies. However, if Disney decided against buying out Comcast's 33% stake, then that company might choose to acquire the entire service. While The Incredible Hulk did perform well on the home video market, it wasn't enough to cover marketing costs. But Hulk is, shockingly, even more complex than that. So, naturally, the question becomes, will the man they call Kulk'ulk'an get a solo film? That being said, the three characters they dont own are still part of the MCU. It has over 6,000 characters and is one of the worlds most valuable comic book franchises. So, any Hulk or Namor solo film would become the property of Universal. / All Rights Reserved, Write for Us Movies, Entertainment, Comics, The Complicated Relationship Between Marvel And Universal, https://veryimgs.veryaware.com/1661323847200.jpg, https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/a5aed50578738cfe85dcdca1b09bd179?s=96&d=mm&r=g. No, Universal does not own any Marvel characters. This, therefore, means that the futures of both characters still rest on Universal. What this means is Universal cannot make a Hulk. Condition: New. Hulk in particular is a character that has suffered a bit because Universal owns the movie rights. Universal Studios has the rights to many of these characters, and has used them in a variety of theme park attractions and live shows. Its the reason there is only one stand-alone Hulk film. Universal Orlando Resort. All Rights Reserved. The opportunity to expand on Disneys involvement in the Marvel universe is one of the most promising things to come. This category includes She Hulk as well. The first installment of his superhero fiction book, TALES OF ADVENTURE & FANTASY, is available on Amazon in print and ebook! Spider-Man is one of the Marvel Villains on hand, so dont miss out on the chance to meet him. 2003-2023 Best Little Sites, LLC. These rights are typically granted by Marvel Entertainment, Inc. to theme park operators in exchange for a licensing fee and a percentage of the parks gross revenues. With the acquisition of Marvel in 2004, Disney increased its popularity even further among people who do not read comic books. Hulk has been a member of the MCU for over a decade. RELATED: Why Bob Iger Returning to Disney May Be Bad for Marvel Fans. In 2009, Disney spent $4 billion on Marvel comics. Apex Legends vs Fornite which is better? When the Mouse bought Marvel, Disney and Universal went to war in the courts in order to free up not just film distribution rights but Marvel characters appearing in Universal's Orlando theme park. Trademark | From growing up having favorite films like The Lion King and The Iron Giant to becoming a major Star Wars and MCU fan, Hollywood blockbusters are Lewis main interests. Member of the Marvel Studios brain trust Nate Moore revealed Namor's rights are, just like the Hulk's, tied up with a pre-Disney distribution deal with Universal. So, while they can't do anything active with the rights, should Marvel decide to make a Hulk movie Universal must be approached first. The final reason given for no solo Hulk movie anytime in the near future is that it will cost a lot of money. 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. So what does this mean for The Hulk and his future in the MCU? "As such, if Disney makes a Hulk or Namor film, Comcast can distribute the film on . In recent years, Marvel has been trying to get the rights to its characters back from Universal, but has had little success. Disney paid $4 billion in 2009 for Marvel Entertainment, making it the largest acquisition in history. However, it is clear that Universal still holds the rights to several important Marvel characters. } 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? Avengers simulator rides are permitted in certain legal zones in other countries. Unlike other Marvel characters in the MCU, such as Iron Man, Captain America, or Thor, Namor and Hulk are not solely owned by Marvel Studios. And both films failed to break even against their budget. The Hulk's appearances in other films and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law continue his story and make him the connective tissue for a number of these discrete stories. While Disney and Marvel hold rights to develop movies starring The Hulk, Universal and Marvel reached an agreement in June 2008 to distribute The Incredible Hulk.. This may come as a disappointment to many, who wish for a Namor solo film after his fantastic debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Im Joel Watson and Im a content manager at veryaware.com, an entertainment website. Copyright 2020 The Direct Media Group LLC. Of course, the comics moved beyond this in the 1960s, but culturally that is where Hulk's been, and it's only really in Ragnarok where his autonomy is presented. Along with a number of other Universal Studios attractions, Islands of Adventure includes a Marvel Super Hero Island. Universal Could Be Considering Selling The Film Rights To THE HULK And NAMOR Back To Disney, A new report suggests there's a good chance Universal Pictures might finally sell the rights to the, During the recent D23 expo, we learned that Tim Blake Nelson would reprise the role of Dr. Samuel Sterns, aka The Leader, in, Mark Ruffalo talks more about that big reveal in the latest episode of. Universal owns distribution rights, which means they have the right of "first refusal" to any Hulk film. The company obtained film rights, intellectual property, and a production company in addition to Marvel movie rights. And 2003's Hulk only made $245 million. Hulk appearing as a secondary character in the MCU receives just as much attention as other main characters like Thor and Iron Man, as the solo Hulk film. This is because Universal's option only relates to explicit Hulk films and, as Bruce Banner is clearly part of an ensemble in these cases, they have no say in them. The Avengers Campus will be the first Avenger theme park in the United States. event : evt, Will a solo movie happen anytime soon? Best Little Sites is not liable for inaccuracies, errors, or omissions found herein. In 2018, Disney generated $20.3 billion in revenue, while Universal Theme Parks generated $5.7 billion. And this is true of both in the 1960s and the 2000s. Why Bob Iger Returning to Disney May Be Bad for Marvel Fans. Despite a brief jaunt in Mathematics at Durham University, film writing was always his calling. Hulk movies are not proven at best, unpopular at worst. So from all this, there's no official barrier to another MCU Hulk movie. Since Comcast's Universal owns the film distribution rights for Hulk and newcomer Namor, the Wall Street analyst argues, "If Hulu is sold, Disney may use this as an opportunity to secure. 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. Marvel confirmed rights involving Hulk and Namor are still with Universal, meaning the Disney-owned characters will probably never get solo movies. Obviously, that makes their usage in the Marvel Cinematic Universe all the more tricky. The studio wants to keep him as a 'special event' character, which raises the profile of an ensemble movie like these two mentioned, or Captain America: Civil War, where Bruce Banner is rumored to appear next. Based out of North East England, Lewis has a deep passion for all kinds of media that began at a young age. Spider-Man: Homecoming (2016), Thor: Ragnarok (2017, Black Panther 2018), Avengers: Infinity War (Fall 2018), Ant-Man and the Wasp (Fall 2018), Captain Marvel (2019), and Avengers: Marvel rides are some of the most popular rides at theme parks around the world. However, the two studios have had a strained relationship since then. The film audience for the title didn't grow between movies, which is seen as a bad sign. The answer, it seems, dates back about 13 years to the start of the Disney and Marvel Studios relationship. Universal currently holds the rights to several Marvel characters, including the Hulk, Namor the Sub-Mariner, and the Incredible Hulk. Namor will make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which will be released in theaters on November 11. Despite the fact that Marvel is housed at Universal Studios, it is not a part of the park. Universal Studios Hollywood. The Hulk will be back in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, which premieres on August 18. Disney would distribute a Hulk movie to Marvel Studios, allowing the studio to begin production. 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. The Security and Exchange Commission filing from 2008 allows Universal to hold Hulk movie rights for 15 years, which would expire June 2023. In an interview covered by The Wrap, a Wall Street analyst for Citi, Jason Bazinet, predicted that terms agreed to in Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox and its assets in 2019 could lead to the return of the rights for two wayward Marvel superheroes: Hulk and Namor. forms: { It is also noted that if Marvel and Disney really wanted to make a new Hulk movie, they would buy the distribution rights from Universal, or cut some sort of new deal with Universal, or just release it through Universal as they have done with other studios in the past. To say Marvel Studios is unlikely to work with Universal to distribute a solo MCU film might be stating the obvious.