Sony's Silver and Black Gets 2019 Release Date

Sony's second Spider-Man spinoff film, Silver and Black gets a release date in February 2019. Although Sony Pictures tried to set the stage for a Spidey-focused shared superhero universe in Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man 2, the film wasn't well received by critics or fans, and failed to meet expectations in terms of its box office earnings. As a result, Sony scrapped plans for its Spider-Man shared universe and struck a deal with Marvel Studios to introduce Peter Parker to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The latest Spider-Man, played by Tom Holland, received his standalone debut earlier this summer in Spider-Man: Homecoming, but Sony is still planning its own Spidey-related cinematic universe.

Earlier this year, Sony announced a standalone Venom film that already had a director and star attached - Ruben Fleischer and Tom Hardy, respectively - for a 2018 release date. Later, the studio revealed plans for a Silver Sable and Black Cat movie that has since been titled Silver and Black and tapped director Gina Prince-Bythewood (Marvel's Cloak and Dagger). Although the film hasn't cast either of its lead characters, Sony has set Silver and Black for an early 2019 release.

Exhibitor Relations is reporting that Silver and Black will hit theaters February 8, 2019. The only other movie currently slated for that release date is Warner Bros' The LEGO Movie 2, so Silver and Black could potentially have some competition at the box office - though that largely depends on the tone Sony and Prince-Bythewood establish for their female-focused superhero flick.

Few official details concerning Silver and Black have been revealed, though rumors about which villains and other Marvel characters will appear in the film have been circling for some time. Prince-Bythewood herself has teased an anti-hero buddy team-up movie featuring the two female leads. The director also said earlier this summer that casting would hopefully start soon, with Silver and Black looking to start filming this fall. The February 2019 release date gives the production a little bit more breathing room, but the fact that Sony has set a release date for Silver and Black at all is good news for the project.

Of course, it's still unclear what exactly fans can expect from Sony's Spidey-related superhero films. Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige has stated unequivocally that they won't be included in the MCU, but comments from Sony's Amy Pascal seemed to indicate Venom and Silver and Black will be set up so that they could connect to the MCU. As of now, it seems both of Sony's movies are being created without Spider-Man actually appearing even though Venom, Silver Sable and Black Cat are often associated with the web-slinging superhero.

Whether the movies can stand on their own without Spider-Man remains to be seen, but Silver and Black's release date makes it official that Sony will release a female-focused superhero flick before Marvel Studios - since Captain Marvel opens in March 2019 (though Ant-Man and the Wasp, opening July 2018, will be the MCU's first movie co-headlined by a female hero). Fans hoping for more female-fronted superhero movies will undoubtedly be excited to hear Silver and Black is only 18 months away from hitting theaters. And, for those waiting to learn more about Silver and Black, big news like casting and an official production start date should be coming soon enough.