The Amazing Spiderman 2 hit theatres this past week to slightly less fan fare than was expected. Making 92 million dollars at the box office opening weekend is typically a huge haul, but if your Spiderman those numbers are a little tepid. In any case, TASM2 has more than a few hints at the series’ future plans and with Sony confirming a Sinister Six and Venom spin-off the “Spideyverse” seems to be going full speed ahead. I took it upon myself to come up with a few other potential spin-offs that would add some much needed diversity to the world and would open up some new genre territory for Sony to explore.
Some of these characters may be a little too niche for the mainstream market but I believe, if given the chance, they would be able to help Spidey reach the heights he deserves. Also, I have no clue whose rights lie with whichever studio so if I make a mistake I apologize in advance.
Now then, to the list!
Spidermen (Scarlet Spider, 2099, Miles Morales…)
Last week ASM producers Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach told the press that as long as they were in charge no one else would have the moniker of Spiderman. This is a terrible idea, especially in the context of creating a ‘Spideyverse’. Peter Parker may be THE Spiderman but characters like Miles Morales, Scarlet Spider and Spiderman 2099 have an abundance of story potential that would make for great big screen counterparts to The Amazing Spiderman franchise. With so many villains to pull from Peter will undoubtedly be in need of some allies, bringing in a future Spiderman or a reluctant clone would make for some interesting stories as well as make room for other potential spin-offs. Spiderman 2099 and Miles Morales in particular have their own large followings that would jump at the chance to watch a live action version of their favorite hero.
In addition to the fact that Sony would get more allies to play with they would also get the opportunity to show how different people react to the same abilities as Peter. Everyone has seen Spiderman’s origin story a thousand times over by now, Miles or Miguel would inject a sense of freshness into the franchise that, after ASM2’s lackluster opening, could definitely use some. Miguel’s 2099 Spidey has all sorts of futuristic sci-fi stuff that would make for a very unique Spiderman film, whereas an Ultimate Spiderman would enable fans to see a completely new perspective on the wall crawler. Where Parker sees his abilities as a responsibility, there have been instances where Morales simply walks away. The two of them together would make for a very interesting dialectic that has not been remotely touched upon in past instalments.
That’s not even mentioning the clone saga. While it may not be everyone’s favorite Spiderman storyline it did introduce a number of key players in the webhead’s mythos. Kain Parker or Ben Riley as Scarlet Spider would show a much darker version of what Spiderman could be, throwing away the responsibility but retaining all of the power. The difference in how both Spidermen operate would lead to some intriguing situations rife with cinematic potential. Or they could go the route of the Superior Spiderman (my fave out of the Spiders) but that would probably unnerve a great deal of the audience so I can understand why the producers would stay clear of this option.
The fact that Arad and Tolmach have written off such a large part of Spiderman history is a big misstep in my opinion. To limit yourself to a single hero is quite a daunting task, and highly unnecessary. Why rely on your even lesser known allies as opposed to your second or third best options? Hopefully they change their minds on this decision.
Symbiotes
We already have confirmation of a Venom solo movie and if it does well a separate franchise is inevitable. With Venom comes a whole host of other symbiotes waiting to tackle the big screen. Fan favorite villain Carnage immediately comes to mind but people tend to forget all about others like Toxin, Anti-Venom, Phage, Riot, Lasher, Scream and Agony. There are many more, this goes to show you how large one aspect of the Spiderman mythos can be. If mined for all its worth there is a wealth of opportunity here for a number of movies for years to come.
On top of the individual Symbiotes there is also the planet itself. If the team at Sony ever decided they wanted to play with genre a little bit they could always explore the roots of Venom by heading off to their planet of origin. Once again, the storylines associated with the Symbiotes offer enormous cinematic potential that don’t necessarily hinge upon having Spiderman attached to all of the films.
Now that we have covered the larger impact the Symbiotes could have on the universe let’s talk about Venom specifically. With Venom there are a few options. Sony could choose to go with the original Venom in Eddie Brock or they could use the newer (better in my opinion) version with Flash Thompson in the suit. Either way, both Venoms have very unique stories behind them that would fit nicely alongside the existing ASM films. If Sony wanted a more Spiderman reliant Venom film they could go with Brock. The majority of his stories revolved around Parker and attempting to get revenge. Or they could go with Flash’s more self contained stories, making Venom more of a lone hero bringing Venom into the spotlight and making him more viable as a solo character. The ability to carry a franchise without relying on other characters is crucial for future plans and is something Sony should definitely be looking out for.
With an expansion of the universe through the Symbiotes and Venom Sony would create more allies and villains for Peter Parker to deal with. This brings more complexity and longevity to the franchise, which are both vital in this context.
Morbius
Michael Morbius was a Nobel-Prize winning biochemist that, in his attempt to cure himself of a rare blood condition, turned himself into a pseudo-vampire. With some nods to his existence in the ASM universe it isn’t too farfetched to believe Morbius is already on Sony’s radar. With the Living Vampire Sony could unlock a host of new stories all revolving around the supernatural. They have had some experience with this world in their Ghost Rider films but to varying success. While neither are considered flops they certainly failed to live up to expectations. Morbius provides an easier in to the supernatural world. His story is more sympathetic and he isn’t nearly as expensive to bring to life as the ‘Spirit of Vengeance’.
In Morbius Sony has, once again, a potential ally and enemy for Spiderman. With the villain count racking up Peter Parker will eventually look for help. If Sony doesn’t want another Spiderman then maybe a vampire could work. Morbius’ ability set is very unique from Spidey or Venom and would lead to a different approach to the action. A darker, stealthier take on superhero action hasn’t really been done before and Morbius would be a great starting point.
Morbius also comes with his own set of villains and allies, opening up even more branches for development if Sony wishes to follow them. A peak at the supernatural would benefit the Spideyverse in a number of ways. The new tone would keep things unique and make sure the films don’t get too repetitive.
Black Cat
Occasionally a love interest, sometimes an enemy, the Black Cat is a very complex character with strong ties to Peter Parker making her a perfect candidate to help expand the Spiderman film franchise. Plus, she has already been introduced so why not put her to use. Felicia Hardy in the comics goes back and forth between helping or hindering our wall crawling hero, if she were to don her superhero garb in either capacity it would prove for an interesting on screen relationship. The way she could shift her loyalties mid movie would keep audiences guessing and add some thriller-esque tones into the mix.
Like many of the other names on this list, the Black Cat comes with options. Many of Spidey’s allies start off as enemies, giving Sony leeway when it comes to how to introduce them. Felicia could end up being a straight up villain teaming up with the Sinister Six or she may be a simple love interest in place of Gwen. Either way, she would make for an interesting addition to the universe and a welcome candidate for her own solo franchise.
Imagine a heist movie involving a cat burglar with probability altering powers, which could lead to some great action and incredible stories. So far, Felicia is a simple secretary. How and if she dons the tights is yet to be seen. In the mean time I am waiting patiently for her to come into her own.
Silver Sable
Silver Sable is a female mercenary, hunter of war criminals, the leader of the Wild Pack, and CEO of Silver Sable International. Sable herself brings a ton of content Sony could mine should they choose to step away from Spiderman at any point. A more militaristic vibe and a story about a bounty hunter could go a long way at the box office providing a pleasant distraction from the cartoony nature of the ASM franchise. Much like Black Cat, Silver Sable’s loyalties tend to be loose, favoring the side that pays more. And just like the cat, Sable would enable Sony and company to play with the interesting dynamic that entails. Is her partnership/friendship with with Spidey enough to keep her on his side or will she betray him for a quick cash grab?
Thus far in the ‘Spideyverse’ everything has revolved around the megacorporation that is Oscorp. While it hasn’t lost its luster yet I can see it becoming stale if every single villain comes from the same place. Sable International could act as a foil or eventual replacement for Oscorp in later installments. Perhaps Oscorp’s Sinister Six can butt heads with some baddies emerging from Sable’s company. That would make for a fun story later on and move away from Spiderman himself, helping the franchise stand on its own strengths.
Sable also comes packed with the entire state of Symkaria, a fictional locale next to Dr. Doom’s Latveria. Taking a detour over to Symkaria would make for a nice change of scenery in later installments and offers all sorts of new adventures that wouldn’t be possible in everyday New York. With a unique look, tons of additional world elements and a megacorporation of her own, Silver Sable would make an excellent expansion for the Spiderman brand. Plus she would be easy to implement, after the Sinister Six or someone else fails to kill Spiderman have them turn to Sable to try and get the job done. With a superb track record and plenty of resources it wouldn’t be unheard of for a villain to call in for extra help. Then she can eventually void the partnership leading to her own solo story-lines.
Conclusion
The potential for a Spider-centric universe is quite large and if Sony truly plans to go all in on this investment it would be wise to look at all of its options. Refusing to use some of the most iconic characters (aside from villains) the Spidey mythos has to offer is a major oversight. Scarlet Spider, Spiderman 2099 and Miles Morales have their own stories and histories that would add more nuances to the already detailed world Sony has crafted. The Symbiotes and Silver Sable would bring new locales and, in the case of the Symbiotes, new worlds. This would fend off any monotony from a visual standpoint and create unique new situations for our hero to try and crawl out of. With the Black Cat and Morbius we get both a potential ally and a new threat. Never quite sure who is on who’s side, both of these characters would bring a freshness to the franchise and create some solo potential to take the weight off of Peter Parker alone.
There are plenty more ways for Sony to expand their cinematic universe but to go into all of them would take another 2000 words. There are other allies in Parker’s past (Cardiac, Wraith, Alpha…) and even more villains not associated with the Sinister Six or Oscorp (Morlun, Scorpion, Kingpin…). I can only hope that Sony has looked at their full repertoire when planning this expanded universe. It would be a shame to see so much potential go the wayside.