Venom Director Says Tom Holland’s Spider-Man Crossover is the Destination

The first Venom movie has come and gone with no influences of Spider-Man or the Marvel Cinematic Universe being featured. The film starred Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock in an isolated universe created by Sony Pictures, using a Marvel character but not referencing the events of Avengers movies or, more specifically, Avengers: Infinity War which had released earlier in the same year. While Sony and Disney have ultimately agreed to feature Tom Holland’s Spider-Man in a couple of future Marvel Studios movies, it seems the ultimate goal is to have Holland play Peter Parker in a film which will put him face to face with Hardy’s Venom.

Venom director Ruben Fleischer, who is currently promoting his Zombieland: Double Tap, was asked if Holland’s Spider-Man will ever come face to face with Venom or if he had plans for such a moment with his film. While Andy Serkis has stepped in to direct the Venom sequel, Fleischer admits that he expects to see Holland and Hardy on the screen together as their respective Marvel characters.

“That’s where it’s all going to lead,” Fleischer told Fandom. “And that’s the exciting thing, because we changed the origin of Venom … in the comics, he evolved from Spider-Man but because of the Marvel-Sony thing we weren’t able to that. And so the thing I think it’s building towards, and will be exciting to see, is when they actually do confront each other.”

Whether this crossover will take place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is unknown but it seems more likely that the Madame Webb film in development at Sony could pull Hollland’s version of the character into a Spider-Verse which will operate separately.

Although not involved with the sequel, Fleischer is looking forward to what’s next for the Venom franchise. “I was kinda happy to let somebody else take over,” he said. “And I’m excited to see what [Serkis] does with it.”

Looking back, Fleischer doesn’t seem to have any regrets in regards to his first Marvel film despite many film critics tearing it apart. “If anything, I would have changed the critics’ reaction to it. I was really bummed that people didn’t like it because it’s a crowdpleasing movie and I’m not sure if there was just blowback against Sony or people just worship Marvel,” Fleischer said. “But I was really surprised that the critics [were gunning for it] because audiences really enjoyed the movie. And so many people who’ve seen it just appreciated that it was a fun superhero movie. So I was a little surprised. I don’t know what they were expecting.”

What did you think of the first Venom movie? Do you want to see Tom Hardy’s Venom in a movie with Tom Holland’s Spider-Man? Share your thoughts in the comment section or send them my way on Instagram and Twitter!

Fleischer’s Zombieland: Double Tap hits theaters on October 18.