The box office success of had a budget of just $100 million.
Sony had always intended Venom to act as the launchpad for a new shared universe, one that uses secondary characters lifted from the Spider-Man franchise. Needless to say, Venom's tremendous performance means the studio is pushing ahead with this idea; Sony Pictures has recently secured Spider-Man spinoffs in 2020. The first is a "non-sequel" on July 10, while the second is a "sequel" slated for October 2.
Related: Venom Has Outgrossed EVERY X-Men Movie
So what exactly does Sony Pictures have planned? The idea of two Spider-Man spinoff movies in 2020 suggests that Venom's success will lead to an accelerated release schedule, with the studio perhaps aiming to release two films per year going forward. It's generally believed that Sony aims to imitate the success of Marvel Studios, with a number of solo films set in the same shared universe, all building up to a triumphant event movie akin to 2012's The Avengers.
Silver Sable and Black Cat have presumably been dropped from this phase; Sony canceled Silver & Black, and although they're reportedly planning on solo films for sneak-thief Black Cat and gun-for-hire Silver Sable, there's been no hint those new plans are anywhere near development. Given all the changes, let's take a look at the possible slate going forward.
- This Page: Sony's 2020 & 2021 Spider-Villain Universe Slate
- Next Page: Sony's 2022 & 2023 Spider-Villain Universe Slate
Sony's 2020 Movies: Morbius and the Venom Sequel
2020 is the easiest year to call; the July release is presumably character named Loxias Crown, Morbius' best friend. It's believed that both Morbius and Crown will suffer from the same illness, and both will consume a "cure" that goes badly wrong. That approach would allow for the traditional superhero "mirror villain."
Related: Morbius the Living Vampire: Who Is He, and What Are His Powers?
Given the October 2 release date is already confirmed for a "sequel," it simply has to be Carnage was deliberately saved for the sequel.
Sony's 2021 Movies: Nightwatch and Kraven?
The 2020 slate is easy to deduce, but everything afterwards is fairly speculative. That said, the most likely contenders for 2021 are the Sony is already casting Nightwatch. So it would make sense for Nightwatch to have a 2021 release date.
The Kraven movie seems to be in a fairly similar position in of pre-production, with Richard Wenk having been hired to work on the script. In the comics, Kraven is a big game hunter who becomes obsessed with Spider-Man; Wenk is most interested in developing the classic "Kraven's Last Hunt" storyline, but it's uncertain whether he'll be able to do so - it all depends on the relationship between Marvel and Sony, given that particular arc strongly involves Spider-Man. Interestingly, Wenk has also indicated that some of the ideas he's toying with are for a two-parter; the first film would be setup, laying the foundations for a sequel.
Page 2 of 2: Sony's 2022 & 2023 Spider-Villain Universe Slate
Sony's 2022 Movies: Silk and Venom 3?
In August this year, it was confirmed that Sony Pictures is working on a Sony's Spider-Man replacement for their spinoff universe. She's the one true hero to have been mentioned in relation to the Sony spinoffs, and the character has been so little-developed in the comics that she could be adapted easily for any purpose Sony wishes.
Related: Will Miles Morales Be Spider-Man in Venom's Universe?
It's reasonable to assume Sony will fast-track Venom 3; Tom Hardy's character is essentially the Iron Man of the Sony Spider-villain universe. Hardy has confirmed that he's signed up for three Venom movies, although he's open to extending his contract. So let's pencil in a third Venom movie for 2022 as well. It's unclear what the plot would be; perhaps the symbiote army's main invasion fleet will finally arrive, in a plot lifted from the "Planet of the Symbiotes" arc.
Sony's 2023 Movies: Jackpot and Maximum Carnage?
Sony currently has one more confirmed film in the works - Jackpot. She's a short-lived superhero from the late 2000s, a scientist whose DNA was rewritten by a virus that gave her superhuman strength. Jackpot was originally created to toy with fans, who were expected to believe that a redhead named Jackpot was actually Mary Jane Watson; her story is a complicated one, involving everything from enhancement drugs to fake identities. At this stage, there's no way of knowing how Sony aim to adapt this character.
Looking beyond Jackpot, it's generally believed that Sony is building towards an event movie. The most likely candidate is a plot inspired by the classic "Maximum Carnage" event, one of the most powerful Spider-Man stories of all time - and a dark adventure that's perfectly suited to the Spider-Man spinoffs Sony is developing. This saw the homicidal maniac Carnage return to launch an insane attack on New York City. He was opposed by a group of brutal antiheroes, including Venom and Nightwatch. The story saw Spider-Man struggle with his faith in humanity, as Carnage's rampage unleashed all the worst instincts of humanity. If Silk really is a Spider-Man substitute, she could easily play that role. This event would certainly act as a suitable Avengers-style climax for the Sony films, while establishing relationships between the disparate characters that could be exploited further down the line.
-
While the success of Venom serves as a launchpad for the Spider-Man spinoff universe, it's important to note that this franchise is still in early days. One box office hit doesn't necessarily mean that everything else will go as planned; Venom is Sony's most marketable character, and it remains to be seen how these less popular spinoffs will perform. The studio will likely be very cautious indeed when it comes to future plans, ready to adapt as they see what works and what doesn't. So while this proposed slate makes sense right now, it will be fascinating to see how things really play out.
