The Web Reset
The Web Reset: Sony CEO Confirms Total Reboot of Spider-Man Spinoff Universe
CULVER CITY, CA — After a turbulent few years defined by viral memes and diminishing box office returns, Sony Pictures is officially cutting the silk on its current live-action continuity. In a candid appearance on The Town podcast with Matt Belloni, Sony Pictures CEO Tom Rothman confirmed that the studio is planning a "fresh reboot" of its Spider-Man spinoff universe with "new people."
The announcement marks the end of the Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU) as we know it, a saga that began with 2018’s Venom but recently struggled with the high-profile critical and commercial failures of Madame Web and Kraven the Hunter.
Wiping the Slate Clean
When asked point-blank if the broader live-action "Spider-Verse" was effectively dead, Rothman offered a blunt "no." However, he made it clear that the studio is not looking to salvage the existing timelines of characters like Morbius or the current Kraven.
“Is it going to be a fresh reboot?” Belloni asked. “Yes,” Rothman replied. “With new people?” “Yes.”
The decision to move forward with a total reset suggests that the studio is prioritizing brand health over trying to fix what fans have increasingly dubbed "the Morbius-verse." By rebooting with a new creative team and cast, Sony aims to distance itself from the "villain-without-a-hero" formula that has drawn significant fan criticism.
The "Scarcity" Strategy
Fans shouldn't expect a new wave of spinoffs immediately. Rothman emphasized that "scarcity has value," hinting that Sony may put the live-action spinoff franchise on a temporary hiatus to rebuild audience appetite.
This strategic pause serves two purposes:
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Quality Control: Allowing the studio to find a "Kevin Feige-like" creative lead to oversee a unified vision.
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Focusing on the Hits: Sony is pivoting its immediate energy toward proven successes like the upcoming animated Venom film and the concluding chapter of the Miles Morales trilogy, Beyond the Spider-Verse (2027).
What Happens to Tom Holland?
Crucially, this reboot does not affect the mainline Spider-Man films produced in partnership with Marvel Studios. Tom Holland remains the definitive Peter Parker of the MCU. In fact, production on Spider-Man: Brand New Day (the fourth MCU installment) recently wrapped, and the film is locked for a July 31, 2026 release.
Industry insiders suggest the new "Rebooted SSU" may eventually introduce its own resident Spider-Man—perhaps Miles Morales or Spider-Gwen—to act as the anchor for future live-action villain and hero stories, a move that would solve the franchise’s biggest historical complaint: a lack of an actual web-slinger.
The Television Blueprint
While the movies reset, Sony’s television arm is already testing the waters for this new direction. The upcoming “Spider-Noir” series, starring Nicolas Cage and set to debut on MGM+ and Prime Video this May, is being closely watched as a potential tonal template for the rebooted universe.
If Cage’s gritty, Depression-era hero resonates with audiences, it could provide the "street-level" foundation Sony needs to finally make its live-action Marvel experiments stick.
