Since Tom Holland first joined the MCU as Spider-Man through Sony Pictures’ deal with Marvel Studios, many have wondered when some of the hero’s most notable villains would be used in his movies. Specifically, questions have been asked about whether any of the villains used as leading characters in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe would ever cross over with the MCU, even after movies like Morbius and Madame Web flopped in theaters. At the center of many of these questions is Venom, who starred in his own successful trilogy of movies for Sony Pictures while Holland broke the box office for Marvel Studios.
Venom actor Tom Hardy has spoken often about the idea of his antihero having a bigger role in the MCU alongside Holland. While this was teased for a moment in the post-credits scenes from Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2021. Now, as the MCU continues to deliver new stories in its Spider-Man franchise, the time may have come for the long-awaited first Venom/Spider-Man moment on screen since 2007’s Spider-Man 3.
During an interview at the Italian Ministry of Public Education, MCU star Mark Ruffalo teased a potential interaction in the MCU between Spider-Man and Venom. While he did not offer any specifics for a timeframe, Ruffalo told the audience, “I promise you 1000% that he will be fighting an alien in the future.”
Venom’s only on-screen moments in the MCU thus far have shown him watching Peter Parker’s identity be revealed to the public on TV before Doctor Strange’s spell sent him back to his own universe when he was in Mexico in a No Way Home post-credits scene. However, an alien presence may have also been teased in Holland’s next solo Spider-Man movie, 2026’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
During a scene from Brand New Day‘s first trailer, an invisible enemy is thought to be jumping from one person to another in what appears to be some kind of government facility, which had been wrecked by an undisclosed explosion or other destructive event. Marvel and Sony may be hiding an appearance by Venom in this scene, as the character has been seen in past movies jumping from person to person in a similar manner.
Previously, reports had teased that Marvel Studios blocked Tom Holland’s Spider-Man from appearing in Sony’s Venom movies, but that mandate seemed to have been taken out due to his inclusion in Let There Be Carnage. Now, Sony has seemingly halted any future plans to expand its own universe of Spider-Man movies, meaning Venom may be available for use in the MCU.
Should he be part of Brand New Day, it would likely be something Marvel and Sony keep hidden until the film’s release date gets closer. However, if Ruffalo is to be believed (which is a real possibility considering his history of spoiling Marvel movies), Spider-Man’s MCU story may be on its way to adding an exciting new wrinkle in the not-too-distant future.
