With the launch of Disney+, binging the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe became immeasurably easier and less expensive, but there was still one hitch: Spider-Man. Thanks to the film rights to Spidey still being owned by Sony, despite the ongoing partnership between the studio and Marvel, the films weren’t present on Disney’s streaming platform, forcing viewers to rent the films. However, thanks to a new multi-year deal that should soon change.
Disney and Sony have agreed to a major streaming agreement that is not only bringing Spider-Man over but a host of other Sony franchises including Jumanji and Hotel Transylvania. The deal allows Disney to place Sony properties on any of its streaming and broadcast platforms, including Hulu, ABC, FX, and Freeform. That means that Disney could move the films around to wherever it believes they would best fit, especially for any older-leaning Sony franchises that might not jive with Disney+’s family-friendly feel.
Currently all theatrical releases from 2022 to 2026, including Spider-Man: No Way Home, will move to Disney’s platforms but not right away. Sony also inked a deal with Netflix recently giving the streamer pay-1 window rights to films. Pay-1 is the traditional initial window for premium subscription services or pay-per-view, and it means that the Sony films will live on Netflix for a bit before Disney gobbles them up. That won’t affect already released films, however, which should be in Disney’s streaming control automatically.
There’s no word on how much the cost is, but Deadline’s report cites a source that says the combined total for the Netflix and Disney deal is north of $3 billion.
