Comics Features Film

Venom: Symbiote for Hire

In the Marvel Universe, a Symbiote is a sentiment alien who uses a host in order to survive. This particular Symbiote has laid dormant for years searching for the perfect host to latch onto and has done so, finding new life at Sony. If you aren’t picking up what I’m putting down; Sony has announced that Venom is back on and Dante Harper will pen the script!

Dante Harper, known for his spec script titled All You Need is Kill, which later became the sci-fi box-office hit Edge of Tomorrow, has taken on the role as “host” to our beloved Venom Symbiote.

This is no easy task as the Venom solo film has a reputation for being a poisonous one. Sony has teased us over the years announcing this films push for production, but then only letting us down in the long run. They even had a couple Venom easter eggs during Marc Webb‘s The Amazing Spiderman 2.

Well, this time is different. I won’t hold my breath, but I will keep my fingers crossed. It has been said that Venom is strictly a stand-alone film in the Spider-Man Universe over at Sony. No tie-ins to the Tom Holland Spider-Man. This leads me to believe that Marvel will have no say over the development of Venom, like they have with the Amazing Spider-Man reboot. But how does a studio produce a Venom story without Spider-man? Easy, there are multiple incarnations of Venom, lets explore them, shall we?

Our first and probably most well known candidate is Eddie Brock. Brock has once before donned the Symbiote in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3. Not one of the best versions of this iconic character, but I guess for the time we can all say it worked. At this time I would like to ask for a moment of silence for Topher Grace.

ANYWAY, now that that’s out of the way we can move on. So, if you aren’t aware Brock hates Peter Parker/Spider-Man. His hatred and jealously for the two is what fuels the Symbiote. It feeds off all his negative feelings and in return Brock has access to an unfathomable amount of power. A monstrous villain named Venom is born, with dual personalities and shape shifting abilities.

But, wait? I thought you said this wasn’t connected to Spider-Man. Correct, subtract Spidey from this equation and place it in the future, maybe Brock has been Venom for a while and he’s tired. Tired of being hated, tired of knowing what he’s doing is wrong. One thing you have to remember, once the organism is attached, it tries to control you. Brock still has a conscious and fights the Symbiote constantly. Deep down, he wants to do good. THIS is where a solo story really could take off!

Imagine Eddie Brock, Venom, feeling exactly as I mentioned prior, beginning  to take control of the Symbiote and its abilities. He transitions through the film into an anti-hero, and on this journey of self exploration, fighting real villains as well has his inner demons!

Ohhhhhh saucy! If they want to build a franchise around Venom, this would be a great way to develop a complex character. Picture this: three films, the first features the bad boy Venom, kicking ass and taking names, only concerned about his needs and wants. Second film could be a continuation of the first, a transition, Brock’s attempt to “purge” himself of the Symbiote. And if all goes according to plan, by the third installment we have, Anti-Venom! Which would be the perfect conclusion.

Brock isn’t the only man that has tamed the Venom Symbiote. There is one other strong possible candidate for the job, Flash Thompson. That’s right, Peter Parker’s former high school bully. The bond Venom has with Flash is a unique and extremely popular one in the present comics. Instead of going by his original name Venom, he goes by something a little more fitting for a hero.

Wait? Did you say hero? Why yes, yes I did. Agent Venom, no longer a villain, or an anti-hero, but a superhero. Like the sequence of films I mentioned before with Brock the same could be done with Flash.

Flash is a war vet and has lost his legs in combat. In the comics, after coming to terms with his disabilities, he elects himself to be bonded with the Venom Symbiote. Working for the government, Flash is able to walk again, but takes on the mighty burden of living with the Venom Symbiote.

We could be in store for some heavy plotlines here! I have faith in Harper. Keep in mind this is all without mentioning the possibility of a Carnage storyline.

Okay you twisted my arm. After Eddie Brock loses the Symbiote, he is sent to Ryker’s Island. Brock shared a cell with Cletus Kasady, a psychopathic sadist, with an incredibly disturbing resume filled with murders. Brock eventually escapes due to the Symbiote bonding with him again, but leaves behind an offspring, which bonds with Kasady. Kasady escapes and goes on a murdering rampage through New York City, as Carnage.

If they really want to go for something like this, I would totally get behind this! Start with a Venom movie with Brock, he loses the Symbiote, maybe purges himself of it, goes to jail and meets Kasady. After a while Brock decides to use the Symbiote for good and escapes. He later learns about the offspring bonding with Kasady and goes on the hunt for Carnage.

Whoa, I know the versus movies are popular now, but could you imagine a Venom vs Carnage movie? Ay yi yi.

Sound off on Twitter! Who would you like to see wield the Venom Symbiote? Do you think Sony will give us Carnage? 

About the author

Gregory Lastra