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How did an agreement between Disney and Sony bring Spider-Man into the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

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Christopher Reeve as Superman flies over a city at night, wearing a blue suit with a red cape and yellow belt, from the 1978 film Superman. — Superhero Christopher Reeve in *Superman* (1978).

In 2015, Disney and Sony reached a unique agreement that resolved a long-standing licensing impasse, allowing Spider-Man to be integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.12

Prior to this deal, existing licensing agreements had prevented the character—who had previously appeared only in Sony-produced films—from being used in the shared universe developed by Marvel Studios. The 2015 arrangement enabled the character to be available for use by both studios, leading to his debut in Captain America: Civil War (2016). This collaboration allowed for a new iteration of the character, portrayed by Tom Holland, to interact with other established heroes within the broader franchise.12