‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ - When and Where Will It Be Available to Stream?
The world is buzzing about “Spider-Man: No Way Home” after a thrilling trailer dropped on Monday night — but where will we end up watching the film once it comes to streaming?
The logical answer would, of course, be Disney+, but Spider-Man doesn’t get to join his fellow Avengers that quickly. Sony owns the rights to Spider-Man’s live-action film appearances. While Sony may allow Disney to use the character in films, Sony still maintains ownership of the character.
You may recall Sony and Netflix agreed to a massive deal earlier this year that will see all of Sony's films head to Netflix once their theatrical run is over. However, that deal only applies to films released starting in 2022. Since Spidey swings back to the big screen this December, the film will first stream on STARZ after the conclusion of its paid digital rental/purchase window early next year.
STARZ
STARZ offers a subscription video streaming service that gives access to content on the STARZ channel without the need of a cable subscription. With your subscription, you’ll get access to 7,500+ films and episodes, including all of their current originals like “Outlander,” The Serpent Queen,” “BMF,” and “Power.”
Earlier this year, the Sony and Netflix struck a deal that would see “Morbius,” “Uncharted,” “Bullet Train,” and the sequel to “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” make pit-stops at Netflix before sliding over to Disney+ or Hulu, depending on the rating. This would also include future Spider-Man and Venom films (though not the upcoming “Venom: There Will be Carnage”)
That’s not to say that the film won’t one day be available on both platforms simultaneously. We’ve seen instances where shows like “Rick and Morty,” “Modern Family,” and “The Simpsons” are available on two streaming platforms simultaneously — one of which is even a Disney property now. At least at first, though, Disney will have to wait for Netflix’s exclusive window to end before it comes to Disney+.
Sony’s been an interesting case in the streaming wars, as it’s probably the largest media rightsholder without its own streaming service. Sony seems perfectly content playing the role of “streaming arms dealer” and letting other companies fight for the rights to their shows and movies while reaping the benefits. Outside of the deals with Disney and Netflix, Sony also has deals in place with Amazon’s IMDb TV to stream classic shows like “All in the Family,” “Sanford and Son,” and “The Jeffersons.”