Spider-Man to land on Disney+ as company agrees deal with Sony

Spider-Man: Homecoming

Disney has agreed a content deal with Sony that will see its Spider-Man films to Disney+.

While the most recent trilogy of Spider-Man films are part of the ‘Marvel Cinematic Universe’ (MCU), they had previously not been available on Disney’s streaming service due to tie-ups with Sony that predate the Mouse House’s US$4 billion acquisition of Marvel in 2009.

The pair have now agreed a deal which will bring 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, along with four Sony-produced Spider-Man movies to Disney+ on June 17. 

The announced deal only covers the UK and Ireland, with no information on whether it will be replicated in further markets. 

Disney said that additional titles from Sony Pictures’ film and television library are expected to premiere on Disney+ in the UK and Ireland later this year, with Spider-Man: Far From Home and 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home expected to be among that list.

Sony has largely bucked the prevailing trends in streaming, and despite owning a vast library of IP it has instead opted to licence its content to other platforms rather than develop its own major streaming platform. 

Disney+ meanwhile will launch in 42 new countries and 11 new territories this week following the launch today in Greece, Turkey and countries in Central Eastern Europe, including Poland, Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic and Croatia. This comes after launches in South Africa on May 18 and North Africa on June 8. 

The streamer will also expand to Israel on June 16, making Disney+ available in 60 countries across EMEA.