The nightmare combination of Eddie Brock and the alien symbiote Venom debuted in 1988 and became an instant fan-favorite— and has remained so for over 30 years. The character has walked the line between outright villain and anti-hero and made for a compelling lead for multiple story arcs.
This was proven doubly true when Tom Hardy took on the role of the symbiotic monster in 2018s Venom, which became a smash-hit at the box office. With its first sequel, Let There Be Carnage, hitting the big screen in October 2021, there are many suggestions for storylines that should be adapted for the (probably) inevitable third chapter.
8 He Needs To Battle Spider-Man
Something that fans are demanding to see is the meeting between Tom Hardy's Venom and Tom Holland's Spider-Man, which would officially bring the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the Sony Spider-Man continuity together in a big way. Whether this requires a retcon or a multiverse explanation, there's plenty of comic inspiration to look at.
A film could examine the iconic first confrontations between the two enemies, finding a way for both Peter Parker to acquire the Venom symbiote for a time and also for Eddie to form a genuine hatred toward the hero. This would allow Venom to take on more of a villainous role compared to his current leading-man status.
7 The Venom Clone Was A Deadly Killer
The 2003 series, simply titled Venom, introduced the character of Patricia Robertson, who had to contend with a dangerous clone of the Venom symbiote in the Canadian Arctic. This clone was a vicious killer, bonding to and then draining hosts of their vital fluids before moving to another target, with the ultimate goal of finding and killing the original Venom.
Patricia found herself bonded to the clone but also able to control it (somewhat) due to a specially designed collar that she wore. This plot could allow for a unique third film entry, with a new She-Venom as a sympathetic villain and a very different setting thanks to the Arctic locale.
6 Maximum Carnage Is Chaos From Start To Finish
Another possible Venom/MCU crossover, the 1993 event "Maximum Carnage" saw Eddie, Spider-Man, and a host of other heroes battle against Carnage and a team of fellow villains as they brutally assault NYC. While the comics used a mainly forgotten group of '90s heroes, a big-screen version could borrow from the MCU and feature a fun new team of heroes to battle Carnage's "family."
One of Carnage's fellow villains is Shriek, who makes her movie debut in LTBC, and one of the reluctant heroes to battle them was Morbius, who's getting his own feature film in 2022. The potential for a big-scale crossover here is obvious, and seeing such a bonkers storyline hit the silver screen would be something else.
5 The Agent Venom Run Would Be Unexpected
2011 saw a bold new status quo for the Venom series, with Peter Parker's old high school bully, Flash Thompson, becoming Agent Venom. Flash was a decorated soldier who lost his legs in combat, but with the symbiote, he could return to battle and fight for his country as a superhero.
A third film could see Eddie separated from the symbiote, which is then bonded with Flash (or an original character in his place) while Eddie finds himself contained by the government. As Agent Venom does his thing, Eddie ultimately becomes Anti-Venom and the two have an inevitable showdown.
4 Venomverse Would Be A Blast On The Big Screen
The smash-hit comic series Spiderverse has already formed the basis of the Oscar-winning Into The Spiderverse animated film, and is likely to play a huge part in the upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home. In 2017, Venom got his own version of the multiverse mayhem in Venomverse.
The next entry in the franchise could go all out and throw in multiple different versions of the Venom symbiote from across various universes against a common threat. The comics have featured many unique hosts for the symbiote, from other superheroes to alien lifeforms, and even a T-Rex.
3 Carnage USA Was Basically A Horror Story
The comic series Carnage USA featured the psychotic symbiote killer managing to infect an entire town and turn the residents into, essentially, mindless zombies to do his bidding. This dark storyline, along with some fantastic artwork, resulted in a unique and genuinely frightening conflict.
A film adaptation could really lean into the horror aspect of this premise, with imagery that could pay homage to classic films such as The Thing. The plot would need some reworking, such as swapping out Flash Thompson with Eddie Brock and probably removing several guest heroes to streamline the cast and increase the odds against Eddie.
2 Toxin Is Carnage's Child, & He's Even Stronger
Just as the Venom symbiote gave birth to Carnage, so too did Carnage to Toxin. As before, the child was far stronger than the parent and presented a massive threat to both its father and grandfather, resulting in the two forming an alliance to destroy the new creature before it came for them.
The twist this time was that the alien didn't bond itself to a criminal host, but to a police officer instead. Patrick Mulligan was able to resist the symbiote's dark urges to kill and feed, although not quite every time it prompted him, and he used it to fight for good for a time. A film in which Toxin would take the heroic lead and feature Venom, and possibly Carnage, as antagonists would be quite the switch.
1 All Hail The King In Black
Recently in the comics, Venom took on the very creator of the symbiote race, the dark God Knull. The storyline would be the perfect basis for an epic event-level movie with huge set-pieces. On a similar note to Carnage USA, the story could feature dozens of symbiote-possessed civilians as an enemy horde.
A particular highlight of King In Black is in the inclusion of a large symbiote dragon and the awesome imagery of Venom growing wings and taking to the skies. This could be the ultimate final chapter of a Venom trilogy and really up the ante from the previous entries.