The divide between Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and Sony’s own superhero franchise has been a source of frustration for fans for years. While the former has had nearly 15 years to build their empire, it’s been stop-and-start for Sony. Marc Webb’s Amazing Spider-Man series was meant to open the floodgates for an interconnected series, but poor critical reception sent the studio back to the drawing board, scrapping many of the characters who were poised for their big-screen debut.
Among the shelved potential projects was a spin-off for Felicia Hardy, a.k.a. Black Cat. The infamous cat burglar appeared very briefly in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Though actress Felicity Jones only portrayed her alter ego, her cameo all but guaranteed a Black Cat sighting in a future Spider-Man film -- and even now, Jones is interested in exploring the duality of the character.
“[What] I always liked about that character was the physicality,” the actress told Collider earlier this year. “That's what made me really excited about [Black Cat].” Sony, in kind, is still excited about Jones reprising the role. A Black Cat spin-off has been toiling in development purgatory for several years, much like the Sinister Six film. But the studio’s latest collaboration with Marvel in Spider-Man: No Way Home may be just what Sony needs to reinforce their burgeoning franchise.
The success of Sony’s future projects, in a way, hinges strongly on Spider-Man -- so much so that the growing series of interconnected films has affectionally been nicknamed the “Spider-Verse.” Though Sony representatives prefer to place their spin-offs in their own Marvel universe, the tie-ins in their latest films speak louder than words. Venom sequel Let There Be Carnage ties the antihero to the web-slinger in a jaw-dropping post-credit scene. And it seems that Morbius, an upcoming film featuring Jared Leto’s take on the Living Vampire, has already set up similar connections.
This mirrors what fans are coming to expect from No Way Home. The film’s new trailer sees Spider-Man going toe-to-toe with villains known only to Sony’s universe. Alfred Molina, Willem Dafoe, Jamie Foxx and more are set to return as some of Spidey’s most iconic adversaries. It’s a clever way to honor longtime fans of the Spider-Man films and to do right by the characters that never reached their full potential.
If Sony and Marvel can pull off the crossover in No Way Home without a hitch, it may open the door for more forgotten villains like Black Cat to return. It’s unclear whether Jones herself will be making an appearance in the MCU; as Black Cat is a known love interest of Peter Parker’s, the role might go to someone closer in age to Tom Holland. Whatever Sony’s plans with the character, it’s exciting to see the culmination of their deal with Marvel taking effect. Spider-Man has become the conduit for two worlds to feasibly collide, and though it’s a lot of responsibility to hinge on one character, the hero has always had the power to shoulder it.
Spider-Man: No Way Home arrives in theaters Dec. 17.
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