The Amazing Spider-Man 2's X-Men: Days of Future Past sting explained

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UPDATED: More contractual than you'd think

UPDATE : Any comic book movie fan who saw yesterday's news story about The Amazing Spider-Man 2 containing an X-Men: Days of Future Past credits scene would no doubt have been giddy at the possibility of the cinematic worlds overlapping.

Variety reports that The Amazing Spider-Man 2 director Marc Webb had an existing contract with Fox Searchlight following his work on 500 (Days) of Summer . Following the success of his work on the first Spidey reboot, he had to endure contractual wranglings as Sony wanted him back for Spidey 2, whereas he was tied to Fox for another film.

The solution?

Fox agreed to let Webb head to Sony on the proviso that Sony would promote Fox's new X-Men movie.

So while the reality is far from a creative crossover, at least there's hope that the studios can work together. Here's hoping for the Avengers/Spidey/X-Men movie in 2072.

In perhaps the most surprising news of the day, it appears that The Amazing Spider-Man 2 will have an X-Men: Days of Future Past sting hidden within its credits.

For the legally unitiated, it's surprising because Fox own the movie rights to the X-Men , while Sony own the rights to The Amazing Spider-Man , meaning any crossover has previously been seen as a legal and contractual nightmare.

And while the sting isn't tying the two worlds together a la Marvel's own regular post-credit universe weaving (the X-Men scene in question is a straight clip from Days of Future Past, showcasing Jennifer Lawrence's Mystique and her motley crew attacking William Stryker's armed forces), it certainly hints at an exciting future in which both studios work together for the greater comic book movie fan good.

Sure, it's a world away from an Avengers/Wolverine/Spider-Man cinematic crossover, but with Sony confirming that the X-Men clip will be attached to the Spidey cut in the UK (and, from the look of Twitter, already in France), it holds a host of exciting possibilities.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is in UK cinemas now.