Papa Vinyard here, now here's a little somethin' for ya...
Earlier today, Empire reported that THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2, which just opened in the U.K., features a post-credits tag hinting at not one of Sony's three upcoming Spidey-related features, but for an unrelated Marvel flick set for release next month. The film? In no un-certain terms:
THERE IS A TEASER FOR X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST ATTACHED TO THE END OF THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2!
The teaser clip, which focuses on a fight between Mystique, Havok, Toad, and Stryker, led some to think that some sort of deal had been made between Fox and Sony, and that we could expect some legit crossover between the two franchises in the near future. I mean, both of them are hoarding their properties away from Marvel, so what is that saying about "the enemy of my enemy"? It's been a while since I've seen DICK TRACY...
But that's not the case, according to Variety. No, it seems that ASM 2 director Marc Webb had an unfulfilled contract over at Fox (which he kicked off with Searchlight's (500) DAYS OF SUMMER), and the only way they'd let him do the follow-up to ASM for Sony was if they'd play a part in promoting their big 2014 Marvel tentpole. It really is that simple and anti-climactic. No artistic or thematic reason for it whatsoever.
As Variety mentions, this plays into Sony's plans to create their own EU out of the Spidey-verse, even if neither company has any interest in featuring their characters in each others' respective franchises. Comic-book fans may not appreciate the cock-tease (even if they do appreciate the actual teaser), but most audiences won't care, and will get a kick out of the feeling that there's bigger stuff going on in the world of ASM than we're seeing.
Still, I find it really weird they didn't throw something together hinting at THE SINISTER SIX, VENOM, or even ASM 3, given the scope of Sony's ambitions for the property. Either way, just remember to enjoy the tag for what it is, a trailer coming at the end of the movie instead of before it, and not to expect Spidey fighting alongside Wolvie & company anytime in the near future.
THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 makes its stateside debut on May 2nd, while X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST will mutate your synapses on May 23rd.
-Vincent Kim-Zahedi
”Papa Vinyard”
vincentzahedi@gmail.com
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