"While I can't get the confirmations I need to verify the story, I'm hearing that there are some very cool "Spider-Man" plans being discussed that would help Sony refocus their enormously important franchise while also opening up some connections in the onscreen Marvel movie universe that would blow fandom's minds. Will it work out? I don't know. I would love to be able to state for sure that it's happening. What seems clear from what I've heard is that Marvel wants to be able to play with all of their characters, and if they can make that work creatively and on a corporate level, they will, and that means the world gets bigger again."
Some are speculating that Marvel wants Spidey so they can bring massive storylines like Civil War and Secret War to the big screen, but you don't really need him for either of those. I think this is just Marvel trying to exert some control over one of their most popular characters again, and if it leads in some way to them regaining the rights back in full then this is a way to "break bread" with Sony, in a sense. Besides, Sony has completely mucked up their Spidey franchise and maybe looking at a way to revitalize it in some way.
Ultimately what every fan wants is for Marvel to be able to play with all of the toys in their toy box, giving us a chance to see Spider-Man fighting alongside the Avengers. Just from a financial standpoint it would be a complicated contractual and legal mess, but it doesn't sound completely out of the realm of possibility.
