(Photo: Marvel Studios)

Spider-Man: Homecoming will be the first fruit of the vine of the partnership between Marvel Studios and Sony Pictures, but it won’t be the last according to Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman Tom Rothman. THR asked Rothman about the possibility of building a Spider-Man movie universe out of the partnership and about the possibility of Sony working with Marvel on other projects.

“Yes to both those questions,” Rothman answered. “It’s been fantastic, our relationship with Marvel.” Prior to that relationship, Sony had plans for a third Amazing Spider-Man movie and a villain-centric Sinister Six spinoff (with Marvel’s Daredevil creator Drew Goddard attached to write and direct). There were also additional rumors of a Venom solo film and a team film featuring a group of female Spider-Man family characters. Those plans seemed to have been dropped after the deal with Marvel was struck, but who knows what ideas may come back around.

“Sony has the ultimate authority,” Rothman clarified concerning the working relationship between the two studios. “But we have deferred the creative lead to Marvel, because they know what they’re doing.”

One other Spider-Man project in the works is the upcoming animated Spider-Man film, which will be completely divorced from the live action Spider-Man: Homecoming. Rothman expressed enthusiasm for the animated superhero feature, saying, “And we have dated Christmas 2018 for what I believe is truly going to be a breakthrough animated sensation. [Phil] Lord and [Chris] 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.”

Check out when Spider-Man: Homecoming and other movies are coming out in ComicBook.com's Movie Release Schedule.