The unexpected success of "Venom" -- it's grossed over $500 million worldwide -- might mean that more "Spider-Man" movies are going to stay at Sony, instead of Marvel.

"Venom" is Sony's first "Spider-Man" without Marvel Studios since the lackluster debut of "The Amazing Spider-Man 2"  in 2014.

Although Marvel has its own Spidey in Tom Holland, Sony is likely going to keep cranking out Spider-Man-related movies now that "Venom" is a smash hit.

"If they consistently make films audiences want to see, Disney will have to buy Sony to get 'Spider-Man' back," Jeff Bock, a senior box-office analyst for Exhibitor Relations, tells Business Insider UK. "If ['Venom'] had failed, there is a chance Sony would have definitely returned to the bargaining table with Disney," says Bock. "Now, that's up in the air."

Sony has multiple "Spider-Man" projects in development, including one with Jared Leto as vampire Morbius and one featuring Black Cat. And Tom Hardy is already signed for two "Venom" sequels.

Meanwhile, we're also getting the animated "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" from Sony in December and  Marvel's "Spider-Man: Far From Home" next July.

How did we end up with two different Spider-Man franchises at two different studios?

In 2015, after "Amazing Spider-Man 2" flopped, Sony made a deal with Marvel in which Spider-Man could appear in the MCU, while Sony maintained distribution rights and creative control to 900 Marvel Spider-Man characters.

If "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" hadn't bombed, Sony planned to set up a "Sinister Six" spin-off. Instead, they worked with Marvel and Disney on "Spider-Man: Homecoming."

Sony "took a calculated risk with 'Venom,' and it's now going to be a series," Bock said. "It seems Disney needs Sony's 'Spider-Man' more than Sony needs Disney ... If they consistently make films audiences want to see, Disney will have to buy Sony to get 'Spider-Man' back."

[Via Business Insider UK]