Scorpion may be the key to Spider-Man on film, briding Sony's villain universe and the MCU. This October, Tom Hardy will bring the tongue-slavering symbiote that is All The Evidence Venom Is Actually In The MCUCuriously enough, the answer may lie with a secondary character introduced in Spider-Man: Homecoming. The Scorpion may be more important than anyone expected.This Page: Scorpion Is In The MCU And Sony's Villain Franchise
Scorpion's Introduction in Spider-Man: Homecoming
In the comics, the Scorpion is one of Spider-Man's oldest foes. He was actually created by J. Jonah Jameson, who believed Spider-Man to be a terrifying menace. Jameson hired former private investigator Mac Gargan to find out how Peter Parker was getting his Spider-Man photos. Gargan failed, and Jameson decided to move to a more direct method of bringing Spidey to 'justice.' He funded an experiment in genetic mutation, with Gargan as the test subject. Unfortunately, the process didn't just grant Gargan super-powers; it also drove him insane. The Scorpion has been a recurring thorn in Spider-Man's side ever since. Ironically, more often that not Spider-Man wound up saving Jameson's life; Scorpion has a relentless desire for revenge upon his creator.
post-credits scene to threaten Vulture into revealing Spidey's true identity. Inspired by the Ultimate version of the character - a scarred and tattooed mobster who ultimately gained super-powers - it's a small role, one that has many expecting a return in Spider-Man 2.
The Scorpion may Appear in Silver & Black
Intriguingly, there have been consistent reports that the Scorpion will actually appear in Sony's second spinoff, Silver & Black. Multiple sources have confirmed that the film will center on Mendell Stromm as the main bad guy; it's been consistently reported that Stromm will be a major player in Oscorp, and that Black Cat will have stolen information that could undermine him. Meanwhile, Silver Sable is hired to acquire the information, but has a personal vendetta against Stromm herself.
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However, the film is set to feature a whole range of supervillains as who either work alongside Stromm or act as allies for Silver Sable and Black Cat. Here's where Scorpion comes in: he's said to be one of Stromm's key enforcers, alongside fellow Spider-villain Tarantula. Importantly, this version of the Scorpion will actually be outfitted with a powerful exo-armor, complete with the traditional tail. One report has even suggested the Scorpion will be a major player in the film's climactic battle.
While it's usually best to take rumors with a serious pinch of salt, these have been repeated by multiple sources. It really does seem likely that the Scorpion will play a significant role in Silver & Black.
Why Are There Two Scorpions?
But why would both Marvel and Sony believe the Scorpion is so important? The clue is in the fact that Marvel has based their Scorpion on the Ultimate version of the character. In the Ultimate universe, Gargan became a mob boss who worked with the Prowler. When the Prowler betrayed him, Gargan headed to New York to get payback. It was there that he crossed paths with Miles Morales, the new Spider-Man. Gargan became one of Miles's most important villains, not least because the Prowler is actually Miles's uncle, Aaron Davis.
Miles Morales is a tremendously popular character expected to the MCU sooner rather than later. What's more, a version of Miles exists in the MCU and surely only a matter of time before Marvel introduce him as another Spider-Man. Using the Scorpion would allow Marvel to recreate a much-loved comic book arc.
RELATED: How Miles Morales Fits Into the MCU
Sony, for their part, is determined to continue developing the Spider-villains franchise. There have been recurring rumors that Silver & Black will feature a staggering range of cameos as the titular duo cross wits across the globe. The studio's goal is to give a sense that this super-villain world has existed for a long time and that a lot of key characters have a history with one another. Given the sheer number of names associated with the film, it's little surprise that Sony has fixed on the Scorpion as a major figure. Do these two threads hint at a connection?
The Scorpion Will Decide How The Series Are Connected
If these reports are correct, both Marvel and Sony have plans for the Scorpion. As a result, the character has the potential to become an important bridge between the MCU and the Spider-villain films. Marvel surely wouldn't introduce a new character, let alone set him up as an opponent for Spider-Man, if they had no plans to use him. And it's unlikely Sony would do so while knowing the same character will be a part of Silver & Black. This leaves the intriguing possibility that we actually are dealing with one character across two franchises.
Is that's what happening though? None of these rumors actually confirm that Scorpion is in Silver & Black, let alone that it would be Michael Mando reprising the role. The reality is that Sony could quite easily cast another actor. If they do so, it would be considered strong evidence that the Spider-villain films are not part of the MCU after all (it would also likely mean that fans will see two versions of the Scorpion on the big screen in 2019). But, given Sony and Marvel are trying to work together on the Spider-Man franchise, that would certainly be a surprise. Considering all the assumed connections, the middle ground would be for there to be two franchises - an Ultimate and a classic - in the same world.
Whatever way it goes down, what Sony does with the Scorpion will reveal a lot about how both franchises will progress.
