The Sony hacked emails confirmed Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios discussed plans to share the web-slinging superhero Spider-Man for upcoming projects.
Sony's motion picture chief Amy Pascal sent and received multiple emails discussing the cross-studio production. Conversations also took place between executives for Sony and Marvel's owner Walt Disney, as high up as their respective CEOs Kaz Hirai and Bob Iger.
In an email dated Oct. 30, Sony Pictures president Doug Belgrad told Pascal about Marvel Studios' idea for a new Spider-Man trilogy that would allow Sony to retain "creative control, marketing and distribution."
In another email, Pascal told a business partner about Marvel's idea to include Spider-Man in its third "Captain America" movie. The upcoming movie entitled "Captain America: Civil War" takes its story from a Marvel Comics crossover event that pitted Captain America against Iron Man with Spider-Man caught in the middle.
Any possible negotiations between the two studios eventually broke down and Sony now plans to launch its own Spider-Man slate, according to the WSJ. The studio rebooted the character in 2012 with "The Amazing Spider-Man" after three "Spider-Man" films directed by Sam Raimi.
"The Amazing Spider-Man" sequel premiered to a lukewarm reception from critics and fans earlier this spring. Both films starred Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker a.k.a. Spider-Man.
Disney and Marvel Studios will premiere "Captain America: Civil War" on May 6, 2016.
