Early Story Clues For Venom Point To The Five Symbiotes

Could Venom draw story cues from The Five Symbiotes?

That’s the latest Marvel-related rumor bouncing off the walls of social media, and IGN’s exclusive photo reveal has only added fuel to the fire. Embedded below, it brought us up close and personal with Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock, a reporter (Boston Globe?) who’s about to have his life upturned by an alien symbiote.

Going one step further, it’s now understood that Venom will largely center on the Life Foundation, given the text on Eddie Brock’s notebook (see below) makes reference to the nefarious organization. In the comics, the Life Foundation was introduced as a shady government body who believed that the Cold War would result in a widespread nuclear holocaust. And so, in the interest of protecting their own, they constructed a bunker to protect their wealthy clients, all the while creating other Venom-esque creatures. Eek!

It’s admittedly hard to make out, so we’ve transcribed the little information we can find. Spot something we’ve missed? Be sure to chime in with your own observations via the comments section.

“So how exactly does the Life Foundation go about testing its pharmaceuticals?”

“What about the allegations your Empire is built on?”

“That you recruit the most vulnerable of the volunteers for the tests that more often than not end up […] them?”

One thing we can tell you with absolute certainty is that director Ruben Fleisher had earmarked both Planet of the Symbiotes and Lethal Protector when crafting his live-action adaptation, one he believes will deliver a “stunning performance” from Tom Hardy.

Via IGN:

I can promise you badass action, Venom’s dark humor, and I can also promise you an absolutely stunning performance by Tom Hardy.

Though it’s a little underwhelming that IGN’s reveal didn’t spotlight the titular symbiote, it’s important to remember that Eddie Brock’s alter-ego is being rendered in full CGI, meaning it’s unlikely the effects team are ready to showcase their monstrous creation.

There’s a lot riding on Venom, too, given it’s been tasked with launching Sony’s own Marvel universe – a universe that is in no way connected to the MCU…yet. Other projects in the pipeline include a live-action rendition of Morbius, the Living Vampire and the female-fronted spinoff, Silver and Black, which is coming by way of Gina Prince-Bythewood.