Some of Marvel Comics’ most formidable and popular Spider-Man characters have been wasted by Sony, but Marvel Studios’ MCU could do them justice.

Some of Marvel Comics’ best Spider-Man-related characters have been wasted in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, but these heroes and villains could get justice in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After developing two Spider-Man film series with Sam Raimi and Marc Webb, Sony Pictures began development on a separate franchise focused on Spider-Man-related characters from Marvel Comics. Sony’s Spider-Man Universe kicked off in 2018 with the release of Venom, which introduced Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock, the host of the titular alien symbiote. Despite focusing on some of Marvel Comics’ most popular characters, however, the SSU hasn’t garnered as much popularity as hoped.

So far, Sony has released four feature films as part of its Spider-Man Universe: 2018’s Venom, 2021’s Venom: Let There Be Carnage, 2022’s Morbius and 2024’s Madame Web. Unfortunately, the success rate of these projects has only lowered as time has passed, perhaps spelling bad news for Sony’s upcoming 2024 projects, Kraven the Hunter and Venom: The Last Dance. This dwindling success means that many of Marvel Comics’ most exciting Spider-Man-related characters have gone to waste, but perhaps a move into Marvel Studios’ more successful MCU could deliver some justice to many of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe’s disappointing heroes and villains.

10. Venom Would Thrive In An R-Rated MCU Project

Tom Hardy Debuted As Eddie Brock In Venom (2018)

Eddie Brock’s Venom has been the most popular character in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, having kicked off the franchise in 2018’s Venom. Tom Hardy returned in Let There Be Carnage, and is set to reprise the role in The Last Dance, but the often-violent villain-come-antihero has been limited by a PG-13 rating. R-rated superhero movies are still a rarity, but Marvel Studios is displaying more freedom with its upcoming content, as Deadpool & Wolverine and Blade have been confirmed to be R-rated, and Echo was the first TV-MA series. Venom could benefit from an R-rating if he moves into the MCU.

9. Sydney Sweeney’s Spider-Woman Could Be A True Julia Carpenter Adaptation In The MCU

Sydney Sweeney Debuted As Julia Cornwall’s Spider-Woman In Madame Web (2024)

2024’s Madame Web is the most recent installment in the SSU, and the most disappointing, as it failed to reach $100 million at the global box office. On paper, Madame Web should have been a success, particularly since several new Spider-Women were introduced, but Sony fumbled the delivery. Sydney Sweeney’s Julia Cornwall, an adaptation of Marvel Comics’ powerful Julia Carpenter, was one of the biggest failures of Madame Web, so a move into the MCU would perhaps benefit her more than most. Marvel Studios could introduce a true Julia Carpenter into the MCU, and show her as a fully-realized Spider-Woman.

8. Sony’s Prowler Tease Needs To Be Paid Off In The MCU

Donald Glover Appeared As Aaron Davis’ Prowler In Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) & Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse (2023)

After first making a cameo appearance in 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, teasing the existence of his nephew, Miles Morales, Donald Glover’s Aaron Davis reappeared in 2023’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse as a character known as “MCU Prowler”. This seemed to hint at Glover returning to the MCU to portray the villainous Prowler opposite Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, and this would be an epic battle to witness, particularly if this also debuts Miles Morales in the MCU. Sony’s Spider-Verse franchise has been more successful than Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, so it’s possible more connections could be made between the MCU and Sony’s animated movies.

Aaron Davis was voiced by Mahershala Ali in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, who is set to debut in the MCU as Eric Brooks’ Blade in Phase 6.

7. Ezekiel Sims Is Much More Complex Than Madame Web Suggested

Tahar Rahim Debuted As Ezekiel Sims In Madame Web (2024)

Tahar Rahim portrayed the laughable villain Ezekiel Sims in Madame Web, with Sony seemingly completely missing the mark when it comes to what makes this character so interesting in Marvel Comics. Rather than being an outright villain in Marvel Comics, Ezekiel Sims actually becomes something of a mentor to Peter Parker’s Spider-Man, teaching him about spider totems and helping the wall-crawler to battle the terrifying Morlun. Madame Web transformed Ezekiel Sims into a selfish, arrogant and stereotypically boring villain, but re-adapting the character into Tom Holland’s Spider-Man’s story arc in the MCU could see him embrace all of his complexities.

6. Kraven The Hunter Runs The Risk Of Never Meeting Spider-Man In The SSU

Aaron Taylor-Johnson Will Debut As Sergei Kravinoff In Kraven The Hunter (2024)

Even though Aaron Taylor-Johnson hasn’t yet debuted as Sergei Kravinoff’s Kraven the Hunter in the SSU, he is already facing problems, as none of the marketing of 2024’s Kraven the Hunter has included Spider-Man. Kraven is one of Spider-Man’s most iconic adversaries in Marvel Comics, so it would be a dire shame for Taylor-Johnson to debut as the exciting hunter without actually facing his wall-crawling enemy. Bringing Kraven the Hunter into the MCU would quickly solve this issue, but this introduction has already been blocked on several occasions, so it could be unlikely that Kraven the Hunter will cross over.

Ryan Coogler wanted to include Kraven the Hunter in 2018’s Black Panther, but this didn’t occur. Later, Jon Watts pitched a third Spider-Man movie in the MCU that would have brought together Peter Parker and Kraven the Hunter, but this was abandoned in favor of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

5. Venom: Let There Be Carnage’s Shriek Can Become Her True Self In The MCU

Naomie Harris Debuted As Frances Barrison’s Shriek In Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021)

Naomie Harris debuted as Frances Barrison, a.k.a. Shriek, in 2021’s Venom: Let There Be Carnage, introduced as Cletus Kasady’s love interest and a superpowered individual with a supersonic scream. Harris’ portrayal of Shriek was admirable, but bringing her into the MCU proper could see her realize her full potential and Marvel Comics backstory as a mutant. Marvel Studios acquired the rights to mutants following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019, so debuting Shriek would be a brilliant way to show that both heroic and villainous mutants exist, and create connections to the popular Venom aspect of the SSU.

4. Ben Parker Was Wasted In Madame Web

Adam Scott Debuted As Ben Parker In Madame Web (2024)

Madame Web was an interesting project for Sony to actually start developing the origin story of its own Peter Parker, a.k.a. Spider-Man, particularly since the project performed so poorly. However, set in 2003, Adam Scott debuted in Madame Web as Ben Parker, while Emma Roberts portrayed the future Spider-Man’s mother, Mary Parker. Uncle Ben has a special place in Spider-Man’s backstory in Marvel Comics, having inspired Peter Parker with his dying words, but the SSU doesn’t seem to be building to this moment at all. Spider-Man’s backstory in the MCU hasn’t been explored, so Uncle Ben could still be redeemed.

3. Carnage Deserves To Show His Violent Side

Woody Harrelson Debuted As Cletus Kasady’s Carnage In Venom (2018)

Woody Harrelson’s casting as Cletus Kasady, the host of the Carnage symbiote, in Venom: Let There Be Carnage received some criticism, as the psychopathic character didn’t really get a chance to show off his more violent and sadistic tendencies in the PG-13 rated project. Similarly to the benefits of bringing Venom into the MCU in an R-rated project, Cletus Kasady’s Carnage could really let loose, proving why he was locked up in prison for so long. Carnage is one of Venom and Spider-Man’s longest-running villains in Marvel Comics, but didn’t have a chance to prove his worth in the SSU.

2. Morbius Fits Perfectly In The MCU’s Midnight Sons Set Up

Jared Leto Debuted As Dr. Michael Morbius In Morbius (2022)

Marvel Studios seems to have recently been teasing the formation of the MCU’s Midnight Sons team by debuting characters including Moon Knight, Blade, Werewolf by Night and Man-Thing. However, one of the team’s most consistent members in Marvel Comics has unfortunately been wasted in the SSU. 2022’s Morbius introduced Jared Leto as Morbius, the Living Vampire, a founding member of the Midnight Sons in Marvel Comics. Morbius making the move to the MCU would complete the team, but since Morbius has been branded one of the worst superhero films of all time, Marvel Studios may want to avoid this association.

1. Cassandra Webb’s Madame Web Was A Complete Failure

Dakota Johnson Debuted As Cassandra Webb In Madame Web (2024)

As well as Morbius, Madame Web is also widely regarded as one of the worst live-action superhero films ever, and the project’s portrayal of its titular hero certainly didn’t help. Dakota Johnson’s Cassandra Webb was an embarrassing addition to Sony’s Spider-Man Universe, but this powerful mutant character from Marvel Comics deserves a second chance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, especially due to her role in Spider-Man’s multiverse storylines in the comics. Cassandra Webb needs to be given redemption with an honest-to-goodness adaption after Madame Web’s complete failure of the character, so her strongest future lies in Marvel Studios’ franchise instead.