Summary
- Fans almost had a Venom-Spider-Man crossover, but it was hindered by "studio politics"
- Spider-Man and Venom have a complex relationship worth exploring onscreen.
- Fans anticipate Spider-Man 4 to include Venom in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Marvel fans have been wanting to see Tom Holland's Spider-Man with Tom Hardy's Venom. It turned out that it nearly happened and the latter shared why it didn't materialize.
Holland's Spider-Man is one of the most successful franchises from Marvel Studios. He initially signed for a trilogy — Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2024) — but is set to return for a fourth film. His performance is highly praised and his solo MCU films have been critical and commercial success. Hardy starred in Sony's Venom movie series. He also starred in three films — Venom (2018), Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021), and Venom: The Last Dance (2024). No Way Home and Let There Be Carnage teased connection, sparking fans to hope for a crossover. According to Hardy, it nearly happened.
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Hardy appeared on The Playlist and spoke about the Venom-Spider-Man crossover that fans had been requesting. According to him, there were talks about it and they nearly made it happen. "We got close. We got as close as I could possibly imagine getting, apart from doing a film together, which I would have loved to have done because that just means so much fun," Hardy shared. He added that he wanted to do it "for the kids" who were wondering why they couldn't see Spider-Man and Venom together in one film. However, he alluded to "studio politics" as to why the project was shelved.
Marvel and Sony are both involved in the production of Spider-Man. In the 80s, Marvel licensed some superhero characters to create films. Cannon Films bought the rights to Spider-Man but failed to produce a successful film until it went bankrupt. Marvel also found itself in a financial crisis in 1996. The rights to Spider-Man were lost in litigation until Marvel recovered them and sold them to Sony in 1999. Sony controls Spider-Man movies and Marvel can't use it without their approval. However, in 2019, the two companies were in dispute over profit-sharing. Disney, which bought Marvel Entertainment in 2009 reportedly wanted 50% profits from future Spider-Man movies. Sony refused because MCU only received 5% profits after selling the rights to them. The Hollywood Reporter claimed that Disney was only looking for a 30% stake. Sony reportedly threatened to pull Spider-Man films out of the MCU since the movie was doing well with Holland playing the titular role. However, that would mean MCU fans won't be able to see Spider-Man in Avengers films. Ultimately, Sony and Disney agreed to continue with their collaboration with Spider-Man. It's unclear, but the "studio politics" Hardy mentioned probably happened when the companies involved were in dispute.
A Spider-Man and Venom crossover will surely delight fans. Many have been asking to see both characters onscreen, so it will surely be a cinematic moment. Spider-Man and Venom have legendary battles in comics, and seeing the two in live-action will be a dream come true for fans who have been looking forward to seeing them. Since Hardy mentioned it was in talks before and another Spider-Man movie is in the works, hopefully, the anticipated crossover will happen.
Venom is not a full villain or a hero and his relationship with Spider-Man is complex. They sometimes fight and work together. Their relationship is worth exploring in the upcoming film. Hardy's Venom has its own fans, and Holland's Spider-Man is a massive hit; more will be watching the next Spider-Man movie if it features the pair. Also, there are rumors that Spider-Man could team up with The Punisher in the next Spidey movie. Adding Venom will make it all the more fun since Venom and The Punisher also have a complex relationship. It will be fun to see the trio — Holland, Hardy and Jon Bernthal in Spider-Man 4. Sony and Marvel can still make the Spider-Man and Venom crossover happen. Hopefully, this time, they will give in to the fans' demand. Holland just dropped the official title of the next Spider-Man movie. It is called Brand New Day, per THR.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day will hit theaters on July 31, 2026.
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Source: The Playlist