What would have happened if "Spider-Man 3" was a critical success? There should be another sequel, and Sam Raimi would be back in the director's chair. Tobey Maguire should have changed his mind (and donned the red-and-blue suit for the fourth time). Andrew Garfield wouldn't fulfill a childhood dream (by playing Spidey) while Sony Pictures won't lease this superhero to Marvel Studios. It wasn't a turning point in Hollywood, but Sony was right to give it one more chance. Venom, one of Spidey's villains in the third installment of the trilogy, would have his own film. The studio honchos were encouraged with the idea after Deadpool got his own picture. Could the R rating give it a Midas touch?
An R rating would be the last thing that Hollywood studios want for their motion pictures, as this could decimate the number of potential viewers flocking to theaters. The producers would want the kids to come along with their parents (or older siblings), so they opted for the PG rating. But PG doesn't click with superhero films all the time.
In fairness to Raimi, he was able to be faithful to the origins of Venom in "Spider-Man 3". The Marvel comics revealed a very conflicted character, who could be a good addition to the Suicide Squad. (Amanda Waller would surely tame this bitter fellow.) Venom had unfinished business with Spider-man, wanting to settle a score with him. He also turned out to be a savior to those whom he saw innocent, yet they don't have the power to defend themselves. Many Marvel fans don't see Topher Grace as the right actor to play Eddie Brock/Venom. The "That '70s Show" star wasn't miscast in the villainous role, but it would require a gritty feature and commanding presence to play any of the comic superheroes and their villains. Moreover, Raimi lost that wonder touch that turned the first Spider-man picture into a spectacular blockbuster.
Sony already gave the green light to film the Venom spin-off picture. Here are some questions:
Who will play Eddie Brock? Grace would be too old for the role. Don't be surprised if Sony might consider a black actor to play Brock. After all, Marvel did it with Karl Mordo in "Doctor Strange". Tyler Williams, who had a respectable TV career at the young age of 24, expressed his long wish to play a superhero on the big screen. Sony producers might call him for an audition. He would fit Venom like a glove, as the villain's issues could resonate with the social issues dividing America nowadays. Donald Trump had nothing to do with it.
Will Venom do a crossover to Marvel? Anything can happen (if the price is right). Sony is thinking of a shared universe including Spidey's mortal enemies. It would be an ambitious project, which could match the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the X-Men (and the mutants against them). Expect the Green Goblin, even if Willem Defoe wouldn't agree to play the character one more time.
Is there another grudge fight between Spider-Man and Venom? It won't happen. Marvel had chosen Peter Parker's high school days as the setting for the "Spider-Man: Homecoming" trilogy, and it should be likely that Tony Stark would be there. The Marvel screenwriters might have a short list of villains at this very moment, and they could be different from what Sony producers have in mind. As for the rest, nothing will be definite until the box-office receipts have came in. It might be PG in this case.
