“Spider-Man: Homecoming” was a spectacular reboot to the popular superhero franchise. With a new Spidey, new cast, and polished special effects, excitement for the franchise is at an all time high. I have been a fan of the amazing superhero since the animated series in the 90’s. This series entitled “Spider-Man”, ran from 1994 - 1998, cemented Spider-Man in my mind as one of the coolest superheroes of all time. What I remember above all else about this series, is the depiction of the super villain turned anti-hero known as Venom.
I love Venom. From his amazing abilities to his snake-like speech, Venom slowly became the focus of my childhood Spider-Man memories.
There is a new Spider-Man title in the works and I can only hope that Venom has a cameo in the film. Maybe even a starring role? With that said, here are the top reasons why we want Venom to be in the next ‘Spider-Man’ Movie.
#1 Venom is Iconic
A menacing black appearance with the instantaneous ability to transform and all of Spider Ma’s abilities wrapped up into one, Venom is an iconic anti-hero. Although he is Eddie Brock under the suit, Venom is initially formed from a severed DNA bond between Spider-Man and an alien symbiote.
This symbiote first makes an appearance in Marvel’s Amazing Spider-Man #300 in 1988. It is first bonded to Peter Parker and becomes one with him. This bond allows Spider-Man’s own power to be enhanced and gives him the classic black suit look.
Unaware of the danger, Peter is intrigued by the symbiote and even accepts the new changes. However, the suit begins to show a darker side after some time. Peter is then forced to separate himself from the black suit. In the search for a new host, the symbiote finds Eddie Brock and bestows on him one of the deadliest powers Spider-Man has ever had to face.
#2 Venom poses a serious threat to Spider-Man
As previously stated, Venom has all of the same abilities as Spider-Man. Wall-crawling, superhuman agility, and heightened senses are all in Venom’s arsenal. What isn’t as well known, is the fact that Venom also has some differences in his powers. Superhuman speed, the ability to generate and use web (no web shooters required), and even the ability to turn his body into weapons.
It is no argument that Venom is technically stronger than Spider-Man. Long time fans of the comics would love to see this unfold onscreen. It would be a real treat to see just how much Spider-Man has to progress in order to defeat Venom.
Can Spider-Man defeat a stronger version of himself?
#3 Venom is an anti-hero
Superhero stories can’t always be good versus evil. The real world doesn’t function that way, so why should we believe that a supervillain is just evil for the sake of being evil? That’s where Venom shines as a character. He has his own goals, dreams, and a solid backstory. Eddie Brock isn’t just a random guy who obtained superpowers and uses them to cause death and destruction. He fights a strong internal battle that has him questioning his own motives and even his humanity.
Venom is an anti-hero. Not necessarily a “bad guy”, but not a symbol of peace and justice either. There are even instances where Spider-Man and Venom create an epic tag-teaming-duo to accomplish a common goal. The lines of good and evil are blurred, and the audience is challenged to see things more objectively.
Venom and Eddie Brock become more relatable in this way. By aligning human intention and motivation behind Venom’s actions, we can understand this antagonist. This definitely makes for a better story overall and creates a character with depth. In a genre that suffers from one-dimensional villains, this would be a welcome change.
#4 Did we mention Carnage?
The complete polar opposite to this is the introduction of Carnage.
He is a super villain who is evil for the sake of being evil. However, this doesn’t mean that Carnage plays a useless role. The introduction of Carnage leads to some very heavy plot points, which I will not reveal here. Let’s just say that Carnage isn’t some run-of-the-mill villain. The death and destruction that he leaves in his wake, causes irreversible damage. The Carnage arc is entertaining, brutal, and suspenseful. Basically, we can’t have Carnage without Venom. So just give us Venom already!
#5 Fixing the sins of ‘Spider-Man 3’
On the scale of bad to terrible, just how bad was Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man 3”? It was awful. A cluttered plot, horrible acting, questionable casting, and laughable special effects, were just the beginning of a horrible mistake.
The costume and casting decisions overall left much to be desired. Venom was scrawny and lacked true character. In the comics, Venom is terrifying yet, comical at times. The entire character felt shallow and kind of pathetic. It was sad to see such a great character go to waste. What we need now is a chance to right those wrongs. Venom needs to be reimagined better than ever or kept true to his comic depiction. We have the technology and the right direction. Hopefully, this combination is a winning one.
It is still my hope that Spider-Man 3 will pay restitution for the pain and suffering of its victims.
#6 Venom Spinoff movie tie-in?
It is common knowledge by now that the Venom spinoff movie has been announced.
Casting is mostly complete, and shooting should begin soon. What I am hoping for here is a solid tie-in between Spider-Man and Venom. Hopefully, the black suit Arc can be completed before the Venom movie is released. If not, adding in some backstory should be able to clear up any questions non-comic readers have. Now that Spider-Man is included with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it should be easy for those geniuses to make a connecting storyline. Adding in one or two crossover scenes would make me as giddy as a young schoolgirl.
#7 Tom Hardy as Venom
Finding the ideal Venom was not an easy task. Eddie Brock is not an easy character to cast. In the comics, Eddie stands an impressive six foot three and is two hundred and thirty pounds.
This eliminates smaller casting potentials like Topher Grace immediately. What we need is someone who can fit that mold. I would be content with someone who is similar to this size, but also someone who has the acting skills to boot. I would have guessed Alan Ritchson, Jason Momoa, Joe Manganiello, or even Alexander Skarsgård, for the role. They all fit the frame very well. Tom Hardy has been given the role in the spin-off movie. Although he is a little short, his physique and acting skills are top-notch. Let's just hope we can understand his lines this time around.
#8 Ushering in a new era of Superhero movies
With the paramount success of movies like “Watchmen”, “Deadpool”, and “Logan”, there is a clear demand for superhero titles with less traditional ties.
The content of a Venom movie or tie-in could lead to an R rating overall but doesn’t spell disaster at the box office. It is refreshing to see these movies reach beyond the traditional constraints and attain real success. I believe that Venom would be among those titles to receive such a rating. With rumors that Carnage will also be making an appearance, it would come as no surprise that Venom would receive similar treatment to that of Marvel’s “Deadpool”.
#9 Venom’s story Arc is pretty amazing
Without geeking out too much, Venom’s entire story from the beginning is a pretty incredible one. We see Venom face an entire onslaught of enemies including Carnage, but the action isn’t limited to that.
Venom’s path is similar to that of a full-featured superhero. From love interests, hardships, and even children, Venom has extensive comic book history. Now, the seed needs to be planted in the next Spider-Man Movie, so the story really has a chance to grow.
As for a 10th reason, Do you need another? Venom is awesome. Finally having him return to the big screen is great news for comic fans everywhere. I believe that Tom Hardy will do the role justice. Hopefully, Marvel holds up their end of the bargain and does an amazing job as well. Please remember how bad Spider-Man 3 was and fix that mistake!
