SPIDER-MAN + X-MEN? Well, Sort Of…
As Marvel continues to enjoy repeated success at the box office, Twentieth Century Fox and Sony are gearing up for their big blockbuster superhero outings — Sony with The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (May 2) and Fox letting loose with X-Men: Days of Future Past (May 23). The summer looks to be officially on the way.
Fans of the Marvel films know to expect the mid-credit and end-credit tease scenes, but of course that’s Marvel Studios promoting Marvel Studios. Now, however, Sony and Fox will be getting in on the act — as Sony cross-promotes Fox’s film in an after-credits tease.
It’s not a cross-over like everyone was wishing to see someday (and one of these days, who knows what could happen?), but it’s a close second. Director Marc Webb was under contract with Fox Searchlight, obligating him to direct another picture after 500 (Days) of Summer. During negotiations with Sony, things almost came to a halt as Sony and rival Fox were negotiating over Webb’s availability. As part of the tug-of-war over Webb, Fox agreed to let Webb direct ASM2 in exchange for a teaser at the end of the movie. In effect, Sony is promoting Fox’s movie for free.
Details of the deal came out in Variety, and according to Empire magazine, the scene involves Mystique along with Havok and Toad as they face off against William Stryker and the military. The scene is attached to ASM2 in the UK already, and will also be seen at the end of the Spider-flick in the US.
This is not the first time something like this almost happened. The Oscorp tower from The Amazing Spider-Man was set to show up in The Avengers, but the length of time for negotiations ran afoul of the production schedule, and the effects team didn’t have the time to include it in the New York skyline.
But is this indicative that the studios are starting to have discussions about the possibilities? Could this be a first step toward cross-promotion of All Things Marvel? Or could it even crack open the door to studios sharing characters? Might we one day see Spider-Man in his Avenging persona?
