Sony Pictures is officially hitting the reset button on its live-action Spider-Man universe. Following a series of high-profile box office failures, studio chairman and CEO Tom Rothman has confirmed that the franchise will undergo a "fresh reboot" featuring "new people."
The revelation came during an appearance by Rothman on The Town podcast with Matt Belloni. When asked directly about the future of the live-action Spider-Verse, Rothman's answers were succinct but definitive.

"Are you going to go back to those at some point?" Belloni asked.

"Yes," Rothman replied.

"But it'll be a fresh reboot?"

"Yes."

"New people?"

"Yes, yes."

Rothman elaborated on the strategy, explaining that "scarcity has value ... you got to make the audience miss you." This marks a significant shift for the studio, which has been aggressively expanding its roster of Spider-Man adjacent characters in recent years.

A String of Box Office Disappointments
The decision to reboot comes as no surprise, given the recent performance of Sony's live-action spin-offs. While the franchise launched strongly with 2018's Venom (which grossed an impressive $856 million globally), subsequent efforts have struggled critically and commercially:
Morbius (2022): $162 million globally
Madame Web (2024): $100 million globally
Kraven the Hunter (2024): A dismal $60 million globally, against an estimated production budget of over $100 million
It is worth noting that the Venom trilogy, starring Tom Hardy, has been the sole consistent performer for the studio, with the three films collectively grossing nearly $2 billion worldwide. However, the standalone films focusing on other characters have failed to replicate that success.

The China Ban on Spider-Man: No Way Home
In the same interview, Rothman also addressed a long-standing rumor regarding the blockbuster Spider-Man: No Way Home. He confirmed that the film was indeed banned in China due to its climactic sequence taking place at the Statue of Liberty.
Rothman revealed that the China Film Administration requested a simple fix: "Just cut out the Statue of Liberty." However, given that the landmark is central to the film's entire third act, complying was impossible.
"Also, I really didn't look forward to sitting in front of Congress telling them why I cut the Statue of Liberty out at the request of the Chinese Communist Party," Rothman added.
Despite missing the Chinese market, No Way Home still grossed a staggering $1.9 billion globally. Rothman expressed lingering frustration, stating the film would have crossed the $2 billion mark had it been released in China. For context, its predecessor, Far From Home, made $200 million in the region.
Relationship with Marvel and Kevin Feige
Rothman also touched upon his relationship with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, offering high praise for the producer. "Never bet against Kevin Feige," Rothman said, placing him in the same league as legendary director James Cameron.
As Sony moves forward with its reboot, it remains unclear whether Tom Hardy's Venom will factor into the new plans or if the "new people" signify a complete overhaul of the live-action universe. Fans can expect more details as the project develops.