Two Sony superhero projects that seemed to be very much in doubt over the past few months (ever since The Amazing Spider-Man 2 failed to match expectations at the box office) are now back on the map in a major way. Sony has just announced firm release dates for both the villain spinoff The Sinister Six and The Amazing Spider-Man 3. It’s not all confetti though, since this means The Amazing Spider-Man 3 will be pushed one year beyond the already rumored release date shift to 2017.

All of this means that The Sinister Six release date will be November 11th, 2016 while The Amazing Spider-Man 3 has to wait all the way until May 4th, 2018. That last date might not be such a bad thing, as it gives Sony and director Marc Webb (if he stays attached) more time to course correct a franchise that has been sinking at an alarming rate. Hit the jump for more on The Amazing Spider-Man 3 and Sinister Six release dates.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Sony is very enthusiastic about writer/director Drew Goddard’s take on The Sinister Six (not a surprise, Goddard is a huge talent). Also, it’s possible that the allure of Avengers style crossover cash is too difficult to pass up. While unconfirmed, it stands to reason that the spin-off film will be very much in the same universe as Webb’s first two Amazing Spider-Man films. Given the overall rejection of The Amazing Spider-Man 2, this is something I would doubt if not for the fact that they’ve re-upped on The Amazing Spider-Man 3 to directly follow the film.

This means that Jamie Foxx’s Electro might appear in The Sinister Six. Anyone optimistic that Goddard can straighten that character out? If anyone can, it’s the guy who brought us The Cabin in the Woods. As for how to fix The Amazing Spider-Man 3, that’s anyone’s guess.