Tom Hardy's incarnation of Venom has to inevitably face off with Tom Holland's version of Spider-Man from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Venom was a big success for Sony, enough to be worthy of at least one sequel, which is already in the works. Monetary gain and popularity aside, though, many felt the storytelling potential of a Venom franchise was incredibly limited. After all, the character is heavily tied to Spider-Man, so such a world without the web-head feels incomplete. With the characters trapped in what were considered separate universes, many thought their face-off was impossible.

When the Venom solo film was released in October of 2018, it was said that the film stood on its own, free of ties to other Marvel properties. Although there was crossover talk, Sony made it clear that the Marvel films they planned to release were in their own universe, away from the MCU. The film itself was very reflective of that, not broadening its scope outside of the life of Eddie Brock and those around him. However, as indicated by the trailer for Morbius, there are more links between the MCU and Sony's Marvel Universe, in which Venom is set, than initially thought.

The aforementioned trailer has raised many questions for fans. The appearance of Michael Keaton's Vulture, first seen in Spider-Man: Homecoming, an MCU film, turned heads. The cameo coupled with a picture of Spider-Man with the word "murderer" written across it, referencing the events of Spider-Man: Far From Home, created plenty of buzz around the film too. Since this means Michael Morbius exists in some capacity in the MCU, then it makes sense that Eddie Brock does as well. That means a Venom and Spider-Man confrontation could (and should) arrive in due time.

Venom Needs Spider-Man To Work Properly


Since his first named appearance in The Amazing Spider-Man #300, Venom has worked best as a character alongside the hero. The two are synonymous with one another, regardless as to what their relationship is. Oftentimes Venom and Spider-Man are at odds, yet occasionally they form a shaky alliance for the sake of defeating a much larger threat. They have been linked for decades, from the pages of Marvel Comics to the big screen. For them to be separated in any capacity would seem like disservice, and to Venom in particular. Spider-Man can stand on his own, but his symbiotic nemesis can't quite do the same.

Tom Hardy's version of Eddie Brock can only go so far without a Peter Parker to work alongside, or against. He only has so many enemies, and the anti-hero routine can't sustain the character for too long. Venom needs to have Spider-Man as a foil in order to take his arc in different directions. That's not to mention the iconic white spider logo he dons across his chest is a direct result of him emulating, and mocking, his enemy. The symbol is clearly missing in the 2018 film, which many felt made the character appear incomplete. From story elements to design, it is clear Venom needs Spider-Man in order to work properly.

Venom Now Exists In The Marvel Cinematic Universe


As previously mentioned, it has come to light via the Morbius' trailer that the Sony Marvel films do in fact take place within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Though it is still rather unlikely Sony's characters will appear in upcoming MCU films (outside of Spider-Man 3, at least), the events that take place in the grander universe will impact them and their solo movies. It can only be assumed that Venom falls into this strange situation as well, as surely Sony will want to boost all of their Marvel films with connections to the MCU, be them loose at best.

Now that he does technically exist in the same universe, there can be even richer, more interesting Venom stories told including his most legendary foe. A team-up appearance with the rest of The Avengers is highly unlikely as of this writing, but an altercation with Spider-Man is all but a given. The sequel to 2018's Venom, set to release later this year, will hopefully shed more light on this hazy studio situation. For now, though, it's enough that Venom (and Morbius) exist within the MCU.

When Hardy's Venom Could Fight Holland's Spider-Man


Now that it's understood Tom Hardy's Venom exists within the confines of the MCU to a certain extent, the next logical question is when can fans expect a face-off between him and Tom Holland's Spider-Man? After all, Sony and Marvel Studios would practically be printing money should they choose to set the wheels in motion for this clash. Nothing has been explicitly established yet, but there is a great amount of speculation to be had given where each character is following the events of their most recent films, the most notable of the two being Spider-Man: Far From Home.

Following the events Spider-Man: Far From Home's post-credits scene, Peter Parker has been exposed as the secret identity of Spider-Man. This wouldn't be such an issue if he hadn't also been framed for the murder of public superhero, private villain, Mysterio AKA Quentin Beck. The evidence, provided by J. Jonah Jameson, was displayed for the world to see. Essentially, Peter is on the run, a situation that makes him a prime target to have run-ins with not only Venom, but any number of his rogues gallery who have yet to introduce themselves.

From here, the two may cross paths under any number of circumstances. Peter's hiding could lead him to the West Coast, specifically San Francisco, right on Eddie Brock's doorstep. The rumored villain of Venom 2 is said to be Carnage, who could play a role in Spider-Man and Venom crossing paths for the first time. Indeed, there have been rumors of Holland's Spider-Man making an appearance in Venom 2. Similarly, Sony's probable Sinister Six film could feature both characters, either at odds or in tandem. All that is for certain is that a battle, or team-up, between Spider-Man and Venom would help both the characters themselves and the universe in which they reside.

Morbius (2020)
Release Date: Jul 31, 2020

The Sinister Six
Release Date: Jan 28, 2020