The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) isn’t complete without Spider-Man, which is why Sony and Disney have been fighting over the franchise like it’s a child of divorce.
Now, the two big companies have signed a licensing deal that makes Spider-Man films as well as Sony’s other Marvel properties available for streaming on Disney+.
This agreement comes on the heels of a “pay 1 window” deal between Sony and Netflix that lets Netflix stream Sony’s new movies approximately nine months after its theatrical debut.
This makes Sony’s agreement with The House of Mouse a “post-pay 1 window”, meaning that Disney will only be able to stream the movies once they leave Netflix – which we all know, may take a while.
Nonetheless, this deal means that for a period of time, Disney will have a well-rounded streaming catalogue of MCU movies as well as access to other big Sony franchises such as Jumanji and Hotel Transylvania.
The agreement also allows Disney to eventually stream Sony movies released in theatres between 2022 and 2026.
“This gives Disney enormous programming potential across its platforms and makes them key destinations for a robust collection of Spider-Man films,” the companies said.
The deal, however, had no clear indication as to whether or not Disney can stream the upcoming Tom Holland led Spider-Man: No Way Home movie.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is currently slated for theatrical release on Dec 17, putting it outside the scope of the deal that grants Disney access to Sony’s theatrically released movies in 2022.
Until the companies make an announcement on the fate of Spider-Man: No Way Home, the movie may not be considered a library title that Disney can stream.
The Sony-Disney deal applies to Disney’s streaming services, including Disney+, Hulu, Disney Channels, FX, National Geographic, ABC and Freeform.
Currently, the Sony-Disney pact only covers the US market.