A random news symbiote has infested the Nets today and, as Ned Ryerson would squeal, “it’s a doozy.” IESB reports that Marvel Studios is prepping a Venom spin-off and has already met with “several A-list writers.” Before you fire off the sirens to alert the strikers, you may recall that a bit ago Marvel cut a deal with the WGA. Apparently the superhero studio has retained the rights to the character, as he/it previously appeared last summer in Sony’s wobbly webbing cake that was Spider-Man 3, in the human form of Eddie Brock, played by actor Topher Grace. No word if Grace is still attached, and no word about Sam Raimi’s involvement, but I’d guess he wouldn’t direct the flick as he has admitted in the past that Venom is not his type.
Obviously, this project comes as a surprise since Venom, when full-blown, is a villain with less social skills than a pet rock; and for many fanboys it’s a surprise as hotly anticipated as Critters Gone Wild, since Venom is cited as the largest flaw in Sam Raimi’s second Spidey sequel. Personally, all of Raimi’s Spider-Man movies are as pleasurable to me as staring at the sun, though the second one has its moments. I just don’t dig their aesthetic and the “darkness”-arch and newfound maturity of the third one made the fourth Harry Potter look like Tropic of Cancer.
However, I’m not opposed to this film. Making a movie about an outer space ooze that turns a person into Spidey’s hulking Id is kinda chill. There is the potential to do a visually stunning and madcap movie with Venom, especially if Carnage is involved. Drop Grace for the sake of a fresh take, and hire, I dunno, a director-duo like Crank’s Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor or even the Hughes Brothers to think outside the box while gunning for profitability and it’s a winner.
February 3rd, 2008 at 3:27 pm
They’re going to mess this up.
February 3rd, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Do we really want to see a Venom film without Spider-man? The answer is a big NO for me.
February 3rd, 2008 at 4:23 pm
Uhh, this sounds amazing if they do it right. I love Venom and Carnage. I don’t know if they did much of anything in the Ultimate series though, or if they have a stand-alone story to tell, but I like them nonetheless.
February 3rd, 2008 at 4:27 pm
This is a pointless film. The Venom origin story first needs to be told well and given time, though that would have made a great Spider-man flick. Doing a stand alone Venom film is worthless and will probably be up there with Elektra and Catwoman as absolute garbage. (Note: I was strictly a Venom fan as a kid, then Spidey grew on me)
February 3rd, 2008 at 4:46 pm
@ All
Why will it suck?
February 3rd, 2008 at 4:46 pm
There are so many other Marvel characters that deserve a film before they have to start scraping the bottom of the barrel with this Venom idea.
February 3rd, 2008 at 5:00 pm
It’s the beginning of the end. Wasn’t it about the time they gave Venom his own comic that comics went bust in the 90s?
February 3rd, 2008 at 5:16 pm
forget Venom,that will be a total waste of celluloid, give
us fans what we really want… CAPTIAN AMERICA the movie!!!
not that piece of crap with the italian RED SKULL!!!!!!
come on marvel… make the venom movie direct to dvd!!!
February 3rd, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Marvel is never going to learn. Keep pumping crap out of every hole imagineable.
February 3rd, 2008 at 6:23 pm
not sure bout this venom idea. by the way, IMO SM2 is THE best comic book film ever. when making this film, Raimi and co loved it more than ‘just a comic book movie’. from hiring micheal chabon to write the story, to the casting of Molina as dr ock. Hands down, this is the best, and shoulod be a template for the fact that comic book movies can be dramatic as well as action packed. Only the upcoming Dark Knight looks worthy to take that title.
February 3rd, 2008 at 7:16 pm
SM2 is not the best comic book film ever. I’ve never understood this argument.
February 3rd, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Dammit, did they not pay attention to the skeletal sillhouette during that last showdown in Spidey 3? I know in comics and fiction there’s no such thing as dead, but damn if they didn’t want to make it look like Venom/Eddie died right there.
They could always just ignore the movie entirely, like most of the fanboys, but still. I’m not a big fan of the concept of a Venom spin-off.
February 4th, 2008 at 10:47 am
please no more topher grace movies.
February 4th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
LAME.
Spider-man 3 sucked. Venom sucked. They f—– it all up, as usual…And now they want to make a spin-off with Venom? HAHAHA…Good luck…
February 4th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
name a better comic book movie. also name SM2’s faults.
February 4th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
There are no good comic book movies. And Tobey Maguire is a fault.
February 10th, 2008 at 7:44 am
they should’ve made spiderman 3 a venom vs spidey thing… i think the sappy sandman and the goodie 2 shoe goblin made it suck.
i think a venom film is too soon… he just died in s3, give him a break. the symbiote could’ve survived the blast but there’s no possible way eddie brock could’ve survived that blast. without eddie brock there’s no venom.
February 12th, 2008 at 9:23 am
I’d love to see a Venom movie. As long as Sam Raimi doesn’t direct it. Get Goyer to do it. Personally i wish they would have confirmed with Grace about playing in a spin-off before they choose him. I thought he did Venom well, but i hate seeing new people playing marvel characters. I like to maintain the illusion. He shouldn’t have gotten the part to begin with if he wasn’t gonna pull through with it to the end. Also Venom isn’t dead. No more to be said.
February 13th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
I think Toxin & Scream should be in it.
Because I think Carnage should be in
Spidey 4.
February 18th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
I think in the movie Mac Gargan should become
Venom.
February 19th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
I think that the SM2 movie should have just been based on Spider man vs. Venom soley…No Goblin 2 or Sandman, just VENOM…That would have been much better, more bad ass… And Yes I think they should do a spin off with Venom, just for the sole purpose that F-ing Venom will be in it. VEnom and Carnage are the bad ass, best super villains of SM of all time, and of any other comics villains… just my opinion…
March 25th, 2008 at 7:38 am
Please god do not let them screw this up.
April 1st, 2008 at 6:53 am
i think they should have him fight spider-man…not carnage… becuz venom fitez good gize… not bad gize
April 1st, 2008 at 6:55 am
hay gize…spiderman 3 didn’t suck F U!
April 1st, 2008 at 6:56 am
well… i gess thay made venom look terrible.
April 2nd, 2008 at 12:24 pm
In all honesty Sm3 did suck. How does an evil symbiote equal out to an Emo Peter Parker? Electra’s death added character to the Daredevil comics… which began to suck after they stupidly brought Electra back for her own series…they never killed Venom off in the comics. Spidey was never a killer. I could keep going. Any true Venom fan should have screamed when Toffer said quote “I like being evil.” WE! WE like being evil. for the spin off get better writers and an actor whos a true venom fan.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
the only way it would work out is if you got Rob Zombie or Tim Burton involved.
blood + guts + violence + darkness = venom
AND I PRAY THAT WHOEVER DECIDES TO TAKE IT ON DOESN’T F*CK IT UP LIKE THEY DID SPAWN, AVP, OR EVEN MORTAL KOMBAT. I hate people who take a product with a lot of potential and screw it up. Hell, I’ll even take Oliver Stone to make it.
April 16th, 2008 at 12:12 am
they should definitely make a venom movie with a fight between him and carnage and if whoever said that venom fights good guys obviously hasnt ever read the comics he fought against spidey not any one else in the comics that venom had he fought against bad guys hense forth a venom movie with venom fighting carnage :)
April 16th, 2008 at 10:27 pm
and who cares about captain america he’s not a major character in the webslinger marvel characters and thats what theyere doin right now webslinger shows other than xmen and whatever else if they do make a movie about captain america they would make it a kiddie show cuz he doesnt kill anybody like venom and carnage but they should deinitely make a venom movie fighting against carnage
April 23rd, 2008 at 8:39 pm
woops i mean that carnage and venom do kill ppl but captain america doesnt so there gonna make him and kiddie shoe
April 27th, 2008 at 10:19 am
i mean show….
May 11th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Why don’t all you haters just stfu? If you don’t want a Venom movie, don’t watch it. We Venom fans deserve a reward for tolerating Venom’s 15 minutes of fame in Spider-Man 3. GO FOR THE VENOM MOVIE. ALMOST ALL OF THE MARKETING FOR SPIDER-MAN 3 WAS VENOM BASED, PROOF?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=idPpiH7rBIs&feature=related
THIS IS PROOF THAT THEY MARKETED VENOM FOR PROFIT.
May 12th, 2008 at 11:53 am
ok, the entire idea of venom would do best as a standalone. personally i know myself and alot of people that grew up way before the kiddies posting here viewed venom as spidermans #1 foe. and he also has some heroic aspects to his character. for those of you that say venom isn’t a solid character for a movie, keep in mind that marvel has developed almost as much history and story based around the symbiotes (of which venom was the first known in comics) as they have for spiderman. given some good screenplay, special effects, and a solid cast, i think the film idea could pan out into one really good movie. as circumstancial proof that people want this to happen, go read the reviews on spiderman 3. half decent movie but MOST negative reviews focussed on the fact that they completely messed up the venom character. almost no screen time, poor casting choice, and really horrible scripts destroyed that character.
now since the majority of the posters i’ve seen here are obviously little kids with next to zero background on venom, i suggest going and reading the comics. especially the fools that make comments along the lines of “wasn’t it when marvel gave venom his own series that bottom fell out?” (sorry i’m not going to duplicate your simplistic terms). just making a comment like that indicates that you have NO idea how fanatically popular venom is as both an antihero and spidermans #1 enemy. and just a quick glance at the comic book sales records indicates that ACTUALLY when venom and spiderman team up, such as seperation anxiety and max carnage, sells just as well or BETTER than when they’re fighting.
little kids, little kids….. do your homework please. if all else fails, make the venom movie an adult movie as most of the hardcore venom fanboys are old enough to be fathers nowadays, and this new generation of comic book kiddies are into some of the most ridiculous and poorly written comics i’ve seen.
please do make a movie about venom, get some talent, and bring back the old venom (not the emo version we saw in spiderman 3)
May 12th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
and as a side note about captain america. he’s worse than superman for promoting american beliefs. when a movie company dumps several million into making a film, they want it to sell worldwide. with current global events a character that’s based entirely on the united states isn’t gonna sell nearly as well as a character that has raw appeal. no offense intended towards americans or my american mothers side of the family, but right now it’s not gonna happen. and even if they did, it’d probably be a bigger bust than jurassic park 3.
and ya, they completely botched venom in spiderman 3. the movie was DECENT, but the venom character was a total screwup on screenplay, effects, storyline and casting. go read the freakin’ comics and maybe you’ll understand what venom is supposed to be and why everyone thinks that SM3 sucked.
and i’ll echo a comment that’s been stated more than once here, if venom is so “lame” and “not worthy” than why did they focus almost all of the marketting for spiderman 3 on the symbiote costume and venom himself?
May 12th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
and before you start screaming bloody murder about eddie brock being dead. remember that they CAN create an entirely new movie based on older characters. batman, batman returns, batman forever and batman and robin have NOTHING to do with the storyline in batman begins or dark knight. or any of the other half million batman movies made.
yet everyone’s all hyped about dark knight, even without a tie in to the 90s series. why complain about it now when marvel decides to use their own characters for movies instead of just letting DC have their fun?
and rob zombie couldn’t direct a movie to save his life btw. gore is not the same as good. carnosaur anyone? if marvel wants to continue making good comic movies, get some top rated talent in there. don’t make it incredibly shallow with lots of CGI and special effects. and for gods sake, learn how to cast properly so we don’t end up with “big tough supervillians” that end up as scrawny little emo brats on screen.