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In “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” Peter Parker, played by Tom Holland, grapples with an onslaught of adversaries, making his role as the neighborhood hero more challenging than ever. From all directions, Michael Mando’s Scorpion and Sadie Sink’s Jean Grey press in, adding to his difficulties. Blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameos feature villains like Ramrod, Boomerang, and Tombstone, further enriching the rogue’s gallery. Fans curious about the absence of Venom in this narrative might find themselves puzzled, especially since 2021’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home” hinted at the alien symbiote’s presence within the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The post-credits scene of “No Way Home” depicted Eddie Brock, played by Tom Hardy, indulging in a drink at a bar on Earth-616, the MCU’s home. Abruptly, he is whisked away to Earth-688, within Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. However, he inadvertently leaves behind a trace of the Venom symbiote on the counter, suggesting a future clash or collaboration with Spider-Man looming in the background.
Venom’s notable absence from “Brand New Day,” coupled with Holland not appearing in the SSU, stems primarily from the two film worlds at Sony never fully converging. “They were crafting this universe and had plans to merge the worlds at some point, although they never pinpointed the right time,” Holland explained on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast (via Collider).
The Venom movies were successful, but the rest of the villain spin-offs weren’t
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The sole occasion where Tom Holland’s Spider-Man and Tom Hardy’s Venom have shared the screen was during the post-credits scene of “Venom: Let There Be Carnage.” The duo appeared transfixed on a broadcast from the Daily Bugle discussing Peter Parker’s compelled public revelation as Spider-Man while they were transported into the MCU.
The brief encounter, orchestrated by director Jon Watts with Holland filming his bemused look on the “No Way Home” set, implied a possible future face-to-face meeting. Yet, with dismal receptions of other Sony Spider-Man villain films like “Madame Web,” “Morbius,” and “Kraven the Hunter,” such a crossover remains uncertain. “The audience is the boss, and they didn’t respond. It’s as simple as that,” remarked Sony Pictures CEO Tom Rothman, commenting on the spin-off movies’ lukewarm reception in an interview with Variety.
While critical reception to the “Venom” movies fluctuated, they were box office successes, grossing a collective total of $1.8 billion for Sony. “The Last Dance” acted as a trilogy capper to the Hardy movies, with Venom sacrificing himself to save his host from the monstrous Xenophages. But even a mostly clear-cut ending can’t stop Sony from greenlighting more projects, as they recently announced they’re actively developing an animated “Venom” movie from “Final Destination: Bloodlines” directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein. It’s not clear what Tom Hardy’s involvement will entail, or whether this will be a sequel to the live-action movies or folded into the “Spider-Verse” landscape.
Sony and Marvel Studios might pull inspiration from the Secret Wars comic
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Marvel Studios CCO Kevin Feige and “Brand New Day” producer Amy Pascal seem to hold out hope for a crossover between Spider-Man and Venom. But given how different Tom Hardy’s interpretation is from the comics, it would make more sense for them to move forward without involving him — and there’s an upcoming MCU project that might be the most fitting place to do so.
Plot details are currently scarce regarding the 2027 film “Avengers: Secret Wars,” but the title is taken from two major Marvel Comics crossover events of the same name, published in 1984 and 2015. While the movie will reportedly draw more from the latter version, there’s still a chance it could retain certain story elements from the 1984 narrative – such as Spider-Man getting the Venom symbiote.
In the eighth issue of 1984’s “Secret Wars,” Spidey ends up needing a new suit due to the amount of damage his has taken on the artificial planet known as Battleworld. He ends up choosing a machine with a black ball that envelops him from head to toe, giving way to the iconic black suit. It’s only upon returning home in “Amazing Spider-Man” #252 that Peter learns it’s actually an alien symbiote that wants to bond with him. His rejection, however, leads the symbiote to attach itself to reporter Eddie Brock, who ultimately becomes his nemesis Venom.
Tom Holland isn’t currently slated to appear in “Doomsday” or “Secret Wars,” but his inclusion feels all but inevitable. If this comes to pass, then he’ll join Tobey Maguire — who wore it in “Spider-Man 3” — as the only other live-action “Spider-Man” actor to have worn the symbiote suit on the big screen.