The Current Marvel Franchising Agreements: Ownership and Licensing Details

Introduction

MARVEL Entertainment, with its vast repository of comic book characters, has come a long way since the 1990s when it faced financial difficulties. In a strategic move to rejuvenate its financial health, Marvel began licensing its properties to various studios. This article delves into the current Marvel franchising agreements, examining who owns the rights to which properties and how these agreements are structured.

Ownership Overview

MARVEL Entertainment owns the copyrights to all Marvel comic books, while MARVEL Studios holds the copyrights to all the Marvel films released by Walt Disney Pictures and shows debuting on Disney Plus. However, the rights are not exclusively owned by MARVEL; they are often licensed to other companies to create movies, TV shows, or merchandise. Here's a breakdown of the current agreements:

Spider-Man

Sony Pictures retains the film and TV rights to Spider-Man (Peter Parker) and his universe of characters. Multiple Spider-Man films such as ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ and its sequel ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ have been produced under this agreement. Sony also has a deal with Disney/MARVEL to include Spider-Man in up to five Disney films. Currently, Spider-Man has appeared in ‘Captain America: Civil War’ and ‘Avengers: Infinity War. ’ It's highly likely that Spider-Man will also appear in ‘Avengers: Endgame’ as part of the cinematic universe. Sony’s exclusive production of solo Spider-Man films is scheduled after the completion of the four-film deal with Disney/MARVEL.

The Hulk and Universal Pictures

Universal Pictures owns the distribution rights for any solo Hulk films and the Marvel character Namor the Sub-Mariner. The agreements with Universal permit the use of these characters in Marvel's films, facilitating cross-promotion and sharing of revenues.

Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)

The Disney/MARVEL deal with Universal allows the shared use of the Hulk in Marvel’s films and ensures that Universal’s theme parks have certain rights to Marvel characters in specific regions. This agreement also facilitates the distribution of solo Sand-Man films and ensures the revenue sharing arrangements are in place.

Other Licensing Agreements

Diverse companies such as toy manufacturers, apparel companies, and various streaming services also license the rights to create and distribute items and content based on Marvel intellectual properties. For instance, certain streaming services periodically acquire the rights to distribute Marvel films or TV shows on their platforms for a limited period of time. These licenses enable a broad range of merchandise, from action figures to video on demand, to be produced and sold to fans worldwide.

The Acquisition of 20th Century Fox

The acquisition of 20th Century Fox by Disney in 2019 was a significant milestone in this franchise landscape. The deal included the Marvel Studios' animation and movie wings, which means the X-Men, Fantastic Four, and other characters once associated with 20th Century Fox will now appear in MARVEL's universe. Certain Marvel characters, like Doctor Doom, are shared between Fox and Marvel, ensuring a cohesive story arc across the franchises. As a result, these characters will appear in upcoming Marvel shows and movies on Disney Plus, such as 'Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes' on Disney XD, further expanding the franchise's reach.

Conclusion

The current Marvel franchising agreements are a complex web of agreements and licenses, reflecting a strategic move to leverage various resources and maximize revenue potential. Through a combination of direct ownership and licensing, MARVEL has been able to maintain a stronghold over its vast intellectual property while allowing other entities to contribute to its success across multiple platforms.

For the latest updates and detailed insights into the current agreements and their impact, stay tuned for further developments in the ever-evolving world of Marvel.