The Struggles of Venom in Live-Action Adaptations
Spider-Man has one of the most iconic collections of villains in the comic book world, featuring a mix of mad scientists, super geniuses, and even alien symbiotes. As the star of eight live-action solo films, Spider-Man has had the chance to face many of his famous adversaries from the Marvel Comics Universe. From Green Goblin to the Rhino, Spider-Man is no stranger to battling supervillains that have been brought to life on the big screen.
The third installment of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy, Spider-Man 3, is often seen as the weakest part of the franchise. While it was financially successful, the 2007 film struggled under a complex storyline that included three separate antagonists for Spider-Man to fight. These include Harry Osborn as the Green Goblin, Flint Marko as the Sandman, and Eddie Brock as Venom. Although the film manages to do justice to some of these characters, it fails to properly represent one of the most iconic villains in the Spider-Man universe—Venom.
A Disappointing Debut for Venom
Spider-Man 3 completely misrepresents Venom in its live-action debut, failing to capture what makes the character so iconic in the comics. The film skips over the origin story of the symbiote entirely, leaving many questions unanswered about where it came from, why it landed on Earth, or if there are more symbiotes out there. This could have been forgiven if the rest of the "Symbiote Saga" had been adapted properly, but it only gets worse from there.
In addition to introducing a beautiful symbiote suit for Spider-Man, the Venom symbiote is responsible for some of the cringiest moments in the film. When it bonds with Peter Parker, it turns him into an overly edgy character who makes finger guns at women while walking down the street, dances in public to no music, and even hits his girlfriend. Things get even worse when the real Venom is finally revealed as the main villain of the movie.
The Characterization of Venom in Spider-Man 3
The film’s portrayal of Venom is disappointing, with a design that falls short of the comic book version and a character arc that barely resembles the original. Venom is much smaller than his comic book counterpart and lacks the intimidating presence that makes him a feared villain. He is also whiny and strange, which makes him far less threatening than expected.
The character ultimately dies in his first true confrontation with Spider-Man, leaving fans disappointed. Anyone interested in the character would be severely let down by his inclusion in the Raimiverse. By the end of the film, viewers are grateful that the other villains took up so much screen time, fearing that more scenes with Venom would have further ruined the character.
Sam Raimi’s Lack of Interest in Venom
One of the reasons Venom is portrayed so poorly in Spider-Man 3 is that Sam Raimi wasn’t particularly passionate about the character. In the first two installments of the trilogy, Raimi included villains he was personally fond of, resulting in iconic portrayals of classic antagonists like Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus. However, Venom was never a character that Raimi planned to include in his films.
In a 2007 interview with Collider, Raimi revealed that then-Marvel president Avi Arad convinced him to include Venom in Spider-Man 3. Having grown up with the Amazing Spider-Man comics of the 1970s, Raimi wasn't as familiar with Venom, who wasn't fully introduced until The Amazing Spider-Man #300 in 1988. Raimi had originally planned to tell a story with the Sandman as the main villain, while also wrapping up the trilogy-long drama between Peter Parker, Mary Jane Watson, and Harry Osborn.
The Legacy of Spider-Man 3
While the Harry Osborn storyline is still divisive among fans, most would agree that the Sandman is the best-written villain in Spider-Man 3. This is likely because it was the villain that Raimi was most interested in. In hindsight, it is ironic that Raimi felt no real connection to Venom as a character. Known for his contributions to the horror genre, particularly the Evil Dead movies, Raimi could have created a brilliant story for Spider-Man’s scariest villain, one that would have leaned more into horror than previous entries in the franchise.
The Search for a Perfect Live-Action Venom
Unfortunately, fans of Venom still haven’t received the perfect live-action adaptation of the character they’ve been waiting for. Tom Hardy stepped into the role in 2018’s Venom, which kicked off the now-infamous Sony Spider-Man Universe. This version of Venom is closer to the comics with the inclusion of a bulkier symbiote and a pledge to defend the innocent. However, key parts of the character are missing from this version as well.
The main design flaw is that Venom lacks the iconic white spider logo on his chest. In terms of characterization, Venom is portrayed as too heroic from the beginning. While Sony marketed the character as an antihero, he is very clearly a full-blown hero in his films. The franchise also plays up the relationship drama between Venom and Eddie too often, making each film feel more like a buddy comedy than a superhero film. And, as is characteristic of the actor, Hardy's Venom voice is often too gravelly and abstract to understand, leaving many of his lines muddled in the final edit.
The Future of Venom
Venom fans are still waiting for a comic-accurate depiction of the character that fully embraces his Lethal Protector status. The ending of Spider-Man: No Way Home hinted that the MCU's own version of Venom could be on its way, though reports for the upcoming sequel, Brand New Day, don't include much additional information about the villain. Hopefully, the third time will be the charm for Venom, who has been let down by his live-action representations for the better part of two decades.
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