When it comes to Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, there is a lot for fans to be excited about. More of Miles and Peter together is guaranteed to be entertaining, while a lot can be done to make Kraven The Hunter a memorable antagonist. However, given the popularity of the character and Insomniac’s slow build to his debut, it is not too shocking that Venom is the most discussed part of the sequel.
While Venom’s Marvel's Spider-Man 2 design looks great, and Tony Todd is the perfect actor to portray the terrifying alien, fans do not know for certain who will be pairing with the Symbiote. While Eddie Brock is the most iconic character to bond with it, it would make more sense if Harry Osborn served as Insomniac’s Venom. While this is interesting, it could be part of a trend, as the MCU may be giving the Symbiote to someone other than Brock as well.
Insomniac’s Harry Osborn and the MCU’s Mac Gargan as Venom
While it is possible that the Symbiote could leave Harry’s body and somehow find its way to Eddie Brock in the next Marvel’s Spider-Man game, that seems a bit hard to believe. Insomniac has focused heavily on Harry and the reveal that he is alive, so throwing that away in favor of a forced Brock appearance makes little sense. Further, Eddie Brock and Peter Parker seem to be on great terms based on a backpack collectible found in the first game.
With Brock and Parker not hating each other, a crucial element of the relationship between Spider-Man and Venom would not be present. When it comes to Harry Osborn, though, an emotional conflict is guaranteed. Not only could a twisted Harry be angry with Peter for not looking into his disappearance, but Peter trying to remove the Symbiote that has kept Harry alive could be a huge motivator for conflict. With Peter not wanting to hurt Harry, especially after missing him for years, an emotional conflict on par with his Doc Ock battle could be present.
Marvel’s Spider-Man is not the only Spidey adaptation where a Venom other than Eddie Brock could be featured. Based on the post credits scene from Spider-Man: No Way Home, Marvel Studios has no interest in using Sony’s version of Venom in the MCU. Instead, it has only kept a piece of the Symbiote, with Tom Hardy’s Eddie Brock returning to Sony’s universe after his brief visit to the MCU.
While there is a chance that Marvel Studios could introduce its own version of Eddie Brock that is more comic accurate, it seems more likely that the Symbiote will find an entirely new host. Alongside Peter Parker himself, a perfect candidate is present in Mac Gargan. Featured in Spider-Man: Homecoming, the man who goes on to become Scorpion has a grudge against Peter Parker for injuring his eye. While seeing Gargan as the supervillain Scorpion would be exciting, he has served as Venom in the comics, meaning that he could do the same in the MCU. With a hatred for Spider-Man already existing, Gargan as Venom could be a perfect fit for the wall-crawler’s next MCU film.
Obviously, nothing is set in stone, and both Insomniac’s universe and the MCU could find a way to introduce Eddie Brock. However, both franchises already have characters that would fit the role of Venom better and not require any further setup. Harry’s time with the Symbiote and past relationship with Peter guarantees an emotional arc, while Gargan’s obsession with revenge would play into Venom’s crueler side. With Brock having plenty of time to shine in the comics and Venom’s live action movies, seeing some new takes on the character could be worthwhile. While it would undoubtedly be risky since Brock is so popular, Harry Osborn and Mac Gargan have untapped potential as Venom.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is scheduled to release in 2023 on PS5.
