Why Wasnt Spider-Man in Venom 2018: A Sealed Door to Marvel Cinematic Universe
Why Wasn't Spider-Man in Venom 2018?
Production Rights and Universes
In the 2018 film Venom, Peter Parker (Spider-Man) was notably absent. This decision was primarily due to the separate production universes maintained by Sony and Marvel Studios. After an agreement was reached, Sony retained the rights to other Spider-Man-related characters, including Venom, leaving Spider-Man out of the film.
Creative Choices
The exclusion of Spider-Man was a strategic creative choice. The filmmakers wanted to focus specifically on building a distinct universe for Venom. The narrative and character development in Venom aimed to explore Venoms origins and his anti-hero persona independently from Spider-Man's legacy. This separation helped to establish Venom as a standalone character, enhancing the standalone nature of the film.
Box Office Success and Independence
Moreover, the box office success of Venom was significant enough that Sony did not need the financial boost provided by Spider-Man. By focusing on Venom, the film was able to stand on its own merits, making it a strong franchise for Sony. The success of Venom earmarked it as a lucrative standalone property, separate from the Spider-Man franchise.
Studio Complications and Rights Management
Additionally, the rights to Spider-Man are shared between Sony and Marvel, now part of Disney. At the time of Venom, Sony did not have the rights to use the full Spider-Man assets in their films, as the The Amazing Spider-Man series had flopped. This restriction enhanced the focus on Venom as a standalone character, propelling the film to commercial success.
Theories and Speculations
Some fans speculate that the reason for Spider-Man's absence is that they operate in different universes. This theory aligns with the distinct production universes maintained by Sony and Marvel. Now that there has been a reorganization of rights, it is possible that future collaborations between Sony and Marvel could see Spider-Man in Venom-related content.
Conclusion
The absence of Spider-Man in Venom was a strategic decision aimed at creating a standalone universe for Venom. While it may seem like a missed opportunity, the success of the film in terms of box office performance and critical reception highlights the strength of this decision. As rights continue to be managed and negotiated, future involvement of Spider-Man in Venom-related content is definitely possible.