Sony Cancels Popular ‘Spider-Man’ Project After Years of Success

For years, the relationship between Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures has felt like a balancing act—one that fans have watched closely as both companies navigated the future of Spider-Man on the big screen. While Marvel built its interconnected universe, Sony took a different path, carving out its own corner of the Spider-Man mythos with projects that didn’t rely on the MCU’s larger narrative.

That approach led to a wave of standalone films, spin-offs, and animated ventures that allowed Sony to experiment in ways Marvel often couldn’t. Some of those bets paid off. Others… not so much.

Now, after years of building one of its most successful franchises, Sony has quietly confirmed that a major chapter is coming to an end—and it’s a decision that signals a bigger shift in strategy moving forward.

When Experimentation Didn’t Pay Off

Sony’s independent Spider-Man universe has had its fair share of struggles. While the idea of expanding the world beyond Peter Parker sounded promising on paper, execution hasn’t always landed the way the studio hoped.

Films like Kraven the Hunter (2024) and Madame Web (2024) were meant to deepen the universe and introduce new characters to audiences. Instead, they became examples of how difficult it is to build momentum without a central anchor like Spider-Man himself.

Critics and audiences alike questioned the direction of these projects. The tone felt inconsistent. The storytelling lacked cohesion. And perhaps most importantly, fans struggled to connect with characters who were introduced without the emotional foundation that makes Spider-Man stories resonate in the first place.

As those films underperformed, it became clear that Sony needed to lean into what was actually working.

Aaron Taylor Johnson as Kraven the Hunter sitting on an antler throne with a fur vest — Credit: Sony Pictures, Marvel

The One Corner That Truly Delivered

Despite the mixed results of its live-action efforts, Sony found undeniable success in two key areas. The first was the Venom series, starting with Venom (2018) and continuing with Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021). Those films embraced a more chaotic, character-driven tone and connected with audiences in a way other projects couldn’t.

But even those successes didn’t quite reach the level Sony achieved in animation.

That’s where Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) changed everything.

The film didn’t just succeed—it redefined what superhero animation could look like. Its bold visual style, emotional storytelling, and introduction of Miles Morales created something that felt fresh in a genre that was starting to feel familiar.

Then came Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023), which expanded that world even further. It took bigger risks, introduced more characters, and pushed the narrative into deeper, more personal territory. Fans didn’t just enjoy it—they invested in it.

For a while, it looked like this animated universe might be Sony’s strongest long-term play.

Tom Hardy as Venom in first film — Credit: Sony Pictures

The Cancellation of a Defining Franchise

That’s what makes this latest update so significant.

Sony has now confirmed that the Spider-Verse saga, as fans know it, is coming to a close. While anticipation continues to build for Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse (2027), the studio has made it clear that this film will serve as the conclusion to a specific era.

During a conversation on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast with Josh Horowitz, producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller confirmed that the upcoming third installment will wrap up the core trilogy centered on Miles Morales.

They emphasized that Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse (2027) is designed to bring this story to a definitive close. In their words, it marks the end of the “Miles Morales trilogy,” signaling that the narrative arc fans have followed since 2018 is reaching its final chapter.

That confirmation effectively cancels the continuation of the main Spider-Verse storyline beyond this trilogy—a surprising move considering how successful and beloved the series has been.

Miles Morales in 'Into the Spider-Verse' — Credit: Sony Pictures

A Future That Looks Very Different

Even though this particular story is ending, Sony isn’t stepping away from the Spider-Verse entirely. Instead, the studio appears to be shifting its focus from continuation to expansion.

New projects are already in development, including a Spider-Noir series starring Nicolas Cage as a version of Ben Reilly. That project is set to debut on Amazon Prime Video on May 27, 2026, giving fans a completely different take on the Multiverse.

Beyond that, Sony is exploring spinoff films centered on characters who broke out during the Spider-Verse run. Spider-Gwen and Spider-Punk are both expected to headline their own stories, reflecting how strongly audiences connected with them in the previous films.

This approach allows Sony to keep the universe alive without relying on a single central storyline. It also opens the door for new creative directions, tones, and audiences.

And while Miles Morales may no longer lead the charge, that doesn’t mean he disappears entirely. The Multiverse concept allows different versions of Miles to appear in future projects, depending on how Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse (2027) concludes.

There’s also the lingering dynamic between Miles and Gwen. Their relationship has been a core emotional thread throughout the trilogy, and it’s easy to imagine that continuing in future spin-offs—especially if timelines overlap or intersect.

gang of Spidey heroes in 'Inot the Spider-Verse' — Credit: Sony Pictures

The Bigger Spider-Man Picture

Of course, the Spider-Verse isn’t the only Spider-Man story Sony is working on right now.

The studio is continuing its partnership with Marvel Studios for the next chapter of the live-action saga, with Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) set to hit theaters this July. That film will once again feature Tom Holland as Peter Parker, keeping the MCU-connected version of the character front and center.

This dual approach—animated spin-offs alongside MCU collaborations—gives Sony flexibility. It allows them to explore different storytelling styles while still maintaining a connection to one of the most popular superhero franchises in the world.

And with projects like Spider-Noir expanding into streaming, it’s clear Sony isn’t scaling back. It’s simply evolving.

Miles Morales has his spidey-sense go off in 'Into the Spider-Verse' — Credit: Sony Pictures

Closing One Door, Opening Several Others

On the surface, it might feel like Sony is canceling one of its most successful franchises just as it reached its peak. But when you look closer, the decision feels more like a pivot than a shutdown.

The Spider-Verse trilogy told a complete story. It introduced a new Spider-Man to the world, redefined animation in the superhero genre, and built a passionate fanbase along the way. Ending that story on its own terms gives it a sense of finality that many franchises never achieve.

At the same time, Sony is setting itself up for a future that’s less dependent on a single narrative and more open to experimentation.

For fans, that creates a mix of emotions. There’s excitement about what’s coming next, but also a sense of nostalgia knowing that this particular journey is nearing its end.

When Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse (2027) finally arrives, it won’t just be another sequel. It will mark the conclusion of one of the most influential superhero trilogies of its generation—and the beginning of something entirely new.

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CBS, NBC & ABC Evening News Ratings Show Big Swings

What To Know

All three major evening news programs—ABC, NBC, and CBS—saw week-over-week declines in both total viewers and the key demo.
ABC World News Tonight maintained its lead in both total viewers and the 25-54 demo.
CBS Evening News continued to lag behind its competitors, experiencing the largest weekly declines in both total viewers and the demo.

The evening news ratings are in for the first full week of May, and it was a week of declines across the board for CBS, NBC, and ABC.

According to AdWeek, citing national live+same-day big data plus program ratings from Nielsen, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir held onto the top spot in both total viewers and the coveted Adults 25-54 demographic for the week beginning May 4.

The show averaged 8.183 million total viewers and 976,000 demo viewers. This was down 1 percent in total viewers and down 3 percent in the key demo compared to the previous week. However, numbers were up year over year, with a 13 percent increase in total viewers and a 1 percent rise in the demo compared to the same period in 2025.

NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas remained in the No. 2 spot, averaging 6.125 million total viewers and 903,000 demo viewers. Compared to the week before, the show was down 2 percent in total viewers and down 3 percent in the demo. However, much like World News Night, the program was up from 2025, with a 9 percent increase in total viewers and a 14 percent bump in the demo.

Meanwhile, CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil trailed its competition, averaging 3.702 million total viewers and 473,000 demo viewers. The show was down 4 percent in total viewers and down 13 percent in the key demo compared to the week prior.

Evening News, which has made headlines in recent weeks for dropping below 4 million viewers, was up 2 percent among total viewers compared to the same period last year. However, the program dropped 6 percent in the 25-54 demo.

Dokoupil took over as Evening News anchor on January 5 after he was promoted from CBS Mornings by CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss.

CBS Evening News, Weeknights, 6:30/5:30c, CBS

NBC Nightly News, Weeknights, 6:30/5:30c, NBC

ABC World News Tonight, Weeknights, 6:30/5:30c, ABC

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Britney Spears’ ‘Ruff’ Dinner Turns Heads at L.A. Restaurant

8:21 AM PT — A rep for Britney tells TMZ … “This is completely blown out of proportion. Britney was enjoying a quiet dinner with her assistant and bodyguard. She was simply telling the story about how her dog was barking at the neighbors.”

They continue, “At no point did she put anyone in danger with a knife. She was cutting her hamburger in half. This constant attack on everything that she does and this is exactly what happened 20 years ago when the media tried to depict Britney as a bad person. This is ridiculous and it needs to stop now.”

Britney Spears enjoyed a night out with friends at a Los Angeles area restaurant … but TMZ has learned things got erratic fast — with barking, yelling and even a knife involved.

Here’s the deal … sources tell us the Princess of Pop grabbed a corner table with a man and a woman at Blue Dog Tavern in Sherman Oaks Wednesday night … and quickly started causing a scene.

We’re told Britney was raising her voice, screaming, and even barking at times … with witnesses describing the vibe as chaotic and “kind of sad” … though she still looked cute.

At one point, a restaurant patron tells us Britney walked by their table holding a knife, sparking fear she might accidently stab someone. The witness says they believe Britney may have simply forgotten to put it down at her table.

We’re also told the singer lit a cigarette inside near the door … prompting staff to intervene and ask her companion to have her put it out.

As for food, we’re told Britney ordered a burger and fries but barely ate, mostly picking at the fries. Plenty of food was left behind, along with what appeared to be orange juice.

We’re told Britney and the man she was with were feeding each other and she told him, “I love you” … though it’s unclear whether she meant it or was just being playful.

The aftermath wasn’t pretty either … one guest said the area under her table looked “like a toddler had been there.”

TMZ obtained a photo from the table after Britney left … showing a crumpled, folded-up menu left behind amid the messy scene.

Despite all the commotion, we’re told most diners didn’t even realize it was Britney until after she left — at which point it became the talk of the restaurant, with people saying it was something that would “only happen in L.A.”

Our sources say Britney was taken home by her security.

As you know, it was less than 2 weeks ago Britney got her March DUI charge dropped after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors, which allowed the charge to be reduced to a “wet reckless.” In her deal, she agreed to be on probation for 12 months and only possess drugs she is prescribed.

She’s also ordered to continue with mental health and substance abuse treatment, including meeting with a psychologist once a week and a psychiatrist twice a month.

We broke the news — the pop superstar went to rehab at Borden Cottage in Camden, Maine, a rural facility that provided her with substance abuse and mental health services following her DUI arrest.

She has since announced she is on a “spiritual journey” which has her learning how to be kind to herself.

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Does Angelina Pivarnick Have a Baby? Fertility Journey Updates

Jersey Shore: Family Vacation returned with its final MTV season on May 7, and Angelina Pivarnick dropped a bombshell on Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola and Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi. She revealed that she was single and having unprotected sex with multiple men.

“I would definitely welcome a pregnancy in my life right now,” Angelina admitted. “It’s something I always wanted in my life. I always wanted to be a mom, and I want to start my own family because I don’t have my own family.”

In fact, Angelina was so ready for a pregnancy, that she even purchased donor sperm and began the early consultation stages for in-vitro fertilization (IVF). The episode ended with Angelina taking a pregnancy test in the bathroom of Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino’s daughter’s first birthday party, and a previous Jersey Shore preview showed her holding up a positive pregnancy test.

This episode was filmed more than a year ago in March 2025. So, did Angelina have a baby? Scroll down for everything we know.

Does Angelina Pivarnick have a baby?

No, Angelina has seemingly not had a child. She has given no indication that she had a baby and did not appear to be pregnant in photos from after the March 2025 episode was filmed.

In September 2025, Angelina posted photos on her Instagram Story that appeared to be taken at a doctor’s office or fertility clinic, which seems to hint that she continued with her fertility journey, but a pregnancy and/or baby have not been confirmed at this time.

Angelina also confirmed in another Instagram post that she “became pregnant” at some point, but did not specify what happened with this pregnancy. She also revealed that Vinny Tortorella was not the father of that baby.

There will likely be updates on Angelina’s pregnancy and fertility journey on this season of Jersey Shore, so keep checking back for more.

Are Angelina Pivarnick and Vinny Tortorella back together?

Angelina and Vinny seemingly got back together in spring 2025. He began posting photos and videos of her on Instagram again in May, and in December 2025, she shared a photo dump with images of them in Salem. There have been no relationship updates since then, but the two still follow each other on Instagram.

The pair got engaged in November 2022, but she confirmed their breakup during the Season 7 Jersey Shore reunion in January 2025. The split was seemingly quite brief, as they were back together just months later.

Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, Season 9, Thursdays, 8/7c, MTV

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