Sony has done quite well for themselves with the first two installments of The Amazing Spider-Man, each of which took in well over $700 million worldwide, but it was the appearance of Tom Holland's take on the character in Disney/Marvel's Captain America: Civil War that has inspired the enthusiasm and excitement of Spider-fans around the world. Chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s motion picture group Tom Rothman is well aware of this cultural effect, which is why the studio plans to expand Spider-Man's movie-verse while keeping lines of communication open with Marvel.

In a chat with THR about everything on Sony's slate, from the specific Ghostbusters "controversy" that is actually doing the movie's marketing for them, to the more wide-ranging global strategy the studio is employing, Rothman also made time to mention plans for Spider-Man going forward. Take a look at what he had to say.

spider-man-movie-universe-sony
Image via Sony Pictures

If you were hoping that Disney/Marvel and Sony would continue to collaborate in the future after the successful introduction of their shared Spider-Man, you're in luck:

Since you teamed with Marvel, do you plan to make a whole Spider-Man universe? Do you have plans for more work with Marvel?

 

Yes to both those questions. It’s been fantastic, our relationship with Marvel.

While not unprecedented in Hollywood, this kind of property sharing between major studios over hugely lucrative properties is far from common. However, if the parties are also able to agree on just what controls each of them have, things can go relatively smoothly. Rothman cleared up those responsibilities as follows:

Who has greenlight authority?

 

Sony has the ultimate authority. But we have deferred the creative lead to Marvel, because they know what they’re doing. We start shooting the new Spider-Man in Atlanta [in mid-June].

spider-man-miles-morales
Image via Marvel

While lots of focus and media attention comes from box office performance, an equal amount of pressure is applied on a film's front-loaded budgetary side. Rothman has a great answer to the question of whether or not he's looking to cut costs when it comes to Spider-Man:

I don’t want to trim costs. I want to make money. And sometimes you make money by trimming costs and sometimes by investing in things that are profitable. A movie like Spider-Man by Marvel, that’s not inexpensive. But it’s a great investment. Knowing that Marvel has such a clear, creative vision, I sleep very well at night.

Rothman also addressed the studio's upcoming animation plans, focusing a portion of the conversation on the animated Spider-Man movie:

[W]e have dated Christmas 2018 for what I believe is truly going to be a breakthrough animated sensation. Lord and Miller, who did the Lego movies, are doing an animated Spider-Man. And it has a very breakthrough look to it, and a fantastic story, and it's independent from our Marvel Spider-Man.

While it sounds like Spider-Man is in good hands with Rothman, Sony and Marvel, we'll find out for sure when the new feature Spider-Man: Homecoming hits theaters July 7, 2017. That film just added Fargo actor Bokeem Woodbine in an undisclosed role that's rumored to be on the villainous side. This casting addition was first reported by Comicbook.com, who found the following tweet from Atlanta's TV personality Sytonnia Moore:

[EMBED_TWITTER]https://twitter.com/Sytonnia/status/744739585318596609[/EMBED_TWITTER]

For more on Spider-Man: Homecoming, be sure to get caught up with some recent news below:

michael-keaton-spider-man-homecoming-vulture