New Details on Sony's Approach to VENOM and SILVER & BLACK

Sony Pictures has been interested in taking advantage of the Spider-Man universe for a while. The studio was planning to launch a cinematic universe with The Amazing Spider-Man 2, which would lead to sequels and spinoffs for the Sinister Six and Venom. However, after that film underperformed, those plans were scrapped, and Sony teamed with Marvel for another reboot.

Today, in the wake of Spider-Man: Homecoming‘s success, Sony is moving forward with standalone movies exploring Spidey’s rogues gallery. A Venom movie starring Tom Hardy is coming next year, while Silver & Black will see Silver Sable and Black Cat join forces. Now, we have some new details on Sony’s approach to these films.

Variety has published a piece exploring Sony’s Marvel Universe. In it, Columbia Pictures president Sanford Panitch explains the studio’s desire to honor the characters. “With the Sony universe of Marvel characters, our mission is only to do what’s the absolute best for each individual property. I just want to honor the original DNA.”

Unlike other big franchises, Sony isn’t having a single producer oversee every single movie. Instead, each film will have a distinct style – which could lead to lower budgets and/or R-ratings – while the studio wants to go beyond the typical comic book movie formula. For example, Venom is envisioned as a horror movie a la John Carpenter or David Cronenberg, while Silver & Black is a buddy movie akin to (for example) Thelma & Louise.

Silver & Black director Gina Prince-Bythewood has been exploring the two protagonists’ comic book histories, and she found that both characters are haunted by their parents’ deaths. “I wanted to tell the story of two damaged women who are at war with each other but need each other to survive.” Panitch weighs in, saying that despite the costumes, Silver & Black will be a “very real and very grounded” movie.

Talk then turned over to Venom director Ruben Fleischer. He confirms that the film will explore Venom’s origin story, as well as Eddie Brock’s Jekyll and Hyde-esque relationship with the Symbiote. Fleischer says, “I’ve always been drawn to the more antihero superheroes. There’s a dark element to [Venom] and a wit that has always appealed to me… [Brock and the Symbiote] become almost a third being, which is what Venom is. There’s a famous quote: ‘You’re Eddie Brock. I’m the symbiote. Together we are Venom.'”

Finally, Panitch refuses to confirm or deny whether Spider-Man will appear in future spinoffs, along with rumors that Kraven the Hunter will star in his own movie.

Stay tuned for more news as we have it.