Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU) has already started with Venom, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, and Jared Leto’s Morbius. While a part of the Marvel Multiverse, the SSU has been established as a separate entity from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It also has yet to connect with the worlds introduced in Sony’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Despite the negative reviews, Sony is going full-steam ahead with their franchise, developing a third Venom film and solo films for Kraven the Hunter, Madame Web, and El Muerto. How successful the films will become remains to be seen.
With so much comic material in the palm of their hands, Sony’s announcement of an El Muerto film was met with a mixed response. The character has, to date, only appeared in two Marvel Comics storylines. As such, fans were initially confused as to why El Muerto took priority over other heroes and villains in the world of Spider-Man. They have wanted to see their favorite characters realized in live-action for a long time. Some of these characters already appeared in animation, but have yet to make their live-action debut. Here are seven Spider-Man characters that should get their own solo film in Sony’s cinematic universe.
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7 Silk
Marvel Comics
In the Marvel Comics, Silk (a.k.a. Cindy Moon) was bitten by the same spider that bit Peter Parker. Cindy initially struggled to control her powers and, for a long period of time, was kept in a bunker to avoid the evil Morlun and his Inheritors. After coming out of isolation, Silk needed time to adapt to social settings and overcome her anxiety. Cindy Moon was a Korean-American superhero and joined a team of Asian and Asian-American heroes called the Agents of Atlas. Among the members was Shang-Chi, and Jimmy Woo (who appeared in Marvel Studios’ WandaVision) was the head of the Atlas Foundation. According to a report from Variety, a live-action series based on Silk has entered development. However, Silk is a great character who also deserves a solo adventure on the big screen.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
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MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
6 Spider-Man 2099
Miguel O’Hara was a geneticist of Irish and Mexican descent, becoming Spider-Man in the year 2099. His genetic code was altered to represent half of a spider’s DNA. He lacked the traditional “spider-sense,” but his hearing and vision were far superior to that of any other Spider-Man. Fans got to see Oscar Isaac’s Spider-Man 2099 in the post-credits scene of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and, as evidenced in the teaser trailer, will soon see him in a much more prominent role in the sequel Across the Spider-Verse. Sony has recognized the potential of the character in animation, but they should also consider a live-action film for the SSU. Most superhero films take place near present day, so a Spider-Man 2099 film has major potential to stand out from films in the genre. Sony could take full advantage of the era the film is set in and incorporate futuristic influences such as those of Blade Runner.
5 Spider-Gwen
Also referred to as Ghost-Spider and Spider-Woman, there was a universe where Gwen Stacy was bitten by the radioactive spider instead of Peter Parker. The “Spider-Gwen” character made her film debut in 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and became an ally, friend, and love interest of Miles Morales. Because that version of Gwen was voiced by Hailee Steinfeld who also currently plays Kate Bishop in the MCU, a new actress would likely be required to bring the Ghost-Spider into the world of live-action. Fans previously expressed interest in Emma Stone potentially returning to the Spider-Man franchise. However, it might be a good idea for Sony to cast a new actress and tell the story of a new Gwen Stacy from the very beginning.
4 Miles Morales
PlayStation Studios, Insomniac Games, Marvel
This one has always been a no-brainer. The world has already seen three live-action Peter Parkers, and fans more than ever want to see Miles Morales in a live-action Spider-Man film. Some have mistakenly viewed Miles as a replacement for Peter when that has never been the case. Miles will never be, and never should be, Peter. He is his own Spider-Man, with his own style, powers, and identity. Insomniac’s Spider-Man video games further proved that Peter and Miles can both be Spider-Man at the same time. The SSU has flexibility in introducing Miles as a seasoned superhero, at an intermediate level of crime-fighting, or as a rookie. Possible interactions between Tom Holland’s Peter Parker and Miles Morales would be more than welcome.
3 Spider-Man Noir
A live-action film based on Spider-Man Noir has not publicly been on Sony’s radar, but it would be one of the most interesting Spider-Man movies they could ever make. The story would have to be told outside the SSU as it would require a noir-themed universe. Films such as Joker and Logan (which had a black-and-white noir version) broke new ground in the comic book movie genre and enjoyed incredible success. Spider-Man Noir could follow in those films’ footsteps and give fans something unexpected and something they have never seen before. In the comics, Spider-Man sought justice for the deaths of Ben Parker and Ben Urich, who died at the hands of Norman Osborn. The comics were set against the era of the Great Depression and even featured Spider-Man fighting Nazis.
2 Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)
Olivia Wilde’s Marvel movie has been rumored to follow Jessica Drew’s Spider-Woman. But at this point in time, there has been no official announcement from Sony. If Spider-Woman has not already been added to the list of characters with a movie planned for the future, she definitely should be. The origin story of Jessica Drew has differed between different comics. In one continuity, she received her powers after being injected with a spider-serum and placed in a genetic accelerator. In another universe, Jessica received her powers while in the womb when her mother was hit by a laser carrying spider-DNA. Jessica went on not only to become a superhero, but also a spy and private detective.
1 Prowler
Epic Games, Marvel
The Prowler was a villain who used his advanced technology to become one of the greatest thieves of all-time. Donald Glover made a brief appearance as Aaron Davis in Spider-Man: Homecoming, but the award-winning actor could easily carry an entire film. Glover’s version of Aaron Davis was part of the MCU, but Sony has already showed no hesitation in moving characters between cinematic universes. Fans are obviously more familiar with Aaron, but in the main Marvel Comics universe, the Prowler was actually another person named Hobie Brown. To make things interesting, Hobie eventually abandoned his villainous path and allied with Spider-Man. He wore a suit he originally designed for the web-slinger, and took on the name of the Hornet.
