Venom: The Last Dance marks the end of Sony’s best-performing Spider-Man adjacent films. Though not necessarily a high bar to clear, Tom Hardy has more aspirations after the conclusion of the trilogy.
Since Hardy’s debut as disgraced reporter Eddie Brock in 2018’s Venom, the actor has faced off against many villains in the anti-heroic story. Cletus Kasady AKA Carnage was portrayed by Woody Harrelson in his titular film, and fans will finally get to see the first big screen appearance of Marvel villain, Knull. Venom’s biggest adversary still has not been confirmed, however, and Hardy is ready to get these wheels turning. Recently at New York Comic-Con, the Mad Max: Fury Road actor doubled down on his desire to put Spider-Man through his paces.
This comment has not happened in a vacuum. Hardy has often voiced his desire to see Venom and Spider-Man come face to face. But with the complex dynamic between Marvel Studios and Sony, this seems like a pipe dream. Sony has tackled some of the biggest characters in Spider-Man lore, save for the web-slinging hero himself. Even Madame Web, which featured three separate Spider-Women only referred to Peter in tongue-in-cheek shenanigans.
Considering Sony’s track record with Marvel properties, it would be shocking if any interaction of Peter Parker slung into Venom for a cameo. But there is no shame in hoping.
The best Venom and Spider-Man confrontation has not been in a film
Tom Holland’s Peter Parker is of course beloved by MCU fans, but one of the best depictions of the character is in the recent Sony video games. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 incorporates many villains that have failed to impress on the big screen as well as teaming up Peter and Miles Morales in a high-stakes story.
In this version of Spider-Man, Harry Osborn gets infected with Venom as a way to stave off a debilitating illness. As Venom is wont to do, it attaches itself to Peter who becomes a monstrous version of himself. Voiced by Candyman icon, Tony Todd, this Venom is a terrifying and powerful force, that Miles has to battle. The game also implements Kraven, a villain played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the alleged imminent film.
Sony’s Kraven film strays as far away from the source material as Madame Web, in a bid to make the characters younger and more attractive. Kraven is a significant character in Spider-Man lore, an unrepentant poacher with no moral compass. Like with many of its films, Sony appears to be making Kraven more sympathetic with Johnson’s casting and backstory. In the film, which has undergone constant delays, Kraven rebels against his father’s (Russell Crowe) poaching and for some reason gets Beast Master-like abilities from a lion. This is the similar philosophy that made Cassandra Webb (Dakota Jonson) a young woman instead of her wizened portrayal in the comics.
The Spider-Man games are arguably one of the best adaptations of the comics. While they change some classic aspects, they stays true to the spirit of the source material. Perhaps Hardy’s Venom has the chance to make a mark similar to that of the games, but is unlikely to happen under the Sony umbrella. Under the current multiverse, however, anything is possible.
