Tom Holland may be suiting up for Spider-Man: Homecoming, but with Sony developing their own Venom film, it looks like the Spider-Man universe won't be limited to the candy-coated world of Disney and the MCU. With Venom pushing toward an R-rating and Spider-Man’s world stocked full of death and psychopaths, who else deserves their own shot at a solo film?
From Kraven putting Peter Parker in his crosshairs to the maligned Clone Saga, and any villain that isn’t the Green Goblin, there are some great characters out there who could easily bring their own story to cinemas. While Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man films were gone to soon, and the same can be said for Marc Webb’s Andrew Garfield era. It was clear that both directors had big plans for people other than Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy.
Whether it be the Sinister Six or the Sinister Twelve, the cells of the Ravencroft institute and the halls of the Daily Bugle are bulging with stories to tell on the big screen. Here are 15 Spider-Man Characters Who Deserve Their Own Solo Movies.
15. Carnage
Given the recent announcement of the Venom film, was can at least expect a tease of the manic Cletus Kasady when the symbiote comes to screens. As a fan-favorite of the Spider-Man series, Kasady's Carnage has been long-expected to get his own spin-off, while Venom could be the perfect time to tease the scarlet sociopath.
Premiering in 1991, Kasady served as Eddie Brock's cellmate and became a host for the alien symbiote under the alias of Carnage. With a more murderous streak, Carnage was a much darker version of Venom - just crying out for his own feature film. While it is presumed that Venom will push for an R-rating, there is no other way to take the Carnage source material.
In terms of a storyline, tackling 1993's Maximum Carnage crossover would be one hell of a cinematic spectacle. Following Carnage as he breaks out of the Ravencroft institute, it featured a super Spider-Man team-up as Peter Parker attempted to stop the likes of Shriek, Demogoblin, Carrion, and Doppelganger.
Carnage is surely a case of when not if, and what's better, we even have the perfect casting choice for Kasady - Prison Break's Robert Knepper!
14. Silk
It must be tough living in the shadow of Peter Parker and Cindy Moon is no stranger to such a feeling. As the second person to be bitten by the radioactive spider, Cindy also gained some amazing abilities thanks to the eight-legged attack and became the heroine known as Silk.
Premiering in The Amazing Spider-Man vol. 3 #1 in 2014, Moon went from a faceless cameo to having her very own comic title in no time at all. Although Silk vol. 1 came to an end during the Secret Wars storyline, a second volume began when the event came to a close. Moon is still widely accepted as a worthy Spider-Woman and is more powerful than Peter in many respects. With heightened spider-sense and organic webbing that can spew from her fingertips, Silk in the badass Asian-American version of Spider-Man who is hard not to love.
We at least know that Marvel are acknowledging the possibility of Silk, as Tiffany Espensen will portray Moon in the upcoming Spider-Man: Homecoming. A full-blown Silk film golds all the promise of an X-23 solo feature.
13. The Superior Spider-Man
The Superior Spider-Man easily warrants his own solo film. There is no denying that Alfred Molina’s role as Otto Octavius was one of the best parts of Raimi’s Spider-Man 2, so why not give the character more time to shine? While a whole Dr. Octopus film could be overkill, his role as The Superior Spider-Man certainly throws in some interesting possibilities.
A reformed Doc Ock takes over the body of Peter Parker, leaving our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man for dead in the body of Octavius. Determined to be a better Spider-Man, Otto takes on the mantle of The Superior Spider-Man and puts his newfound moral compass to the test. Although Parker regained his body in a return to The Amazing Spider-Man, Superior is held up as a great story arc that could easily transfer onto the screen.
While it is unlikely that Molina would return to the role, there are more than enough actors who could do the character justice. Serving as Marvel’s very own Freaky Friday, The Superior Spider-Man won over most of its critics with intelligent writing and introduction of new characters.
12. Spider-Gwen
For those hoping that we won’t see another rehash of the "The Night Gwen Stacy Died" storyline, you aren’t alone. With Bryce Dallas Howard and Emma Stone both portraying Peter Parker’s iconic love interest in live-action, fans of the doomed heroine have long hoped that she could get her own spin-off.
With Gwen’s death being one of the biggest incidents in comic book history, even Marvel couldn’t keep Gwen dead. Focusing on an alternate Gwen from Earth-65, the 2015 Spider-Gwen title sees a world where it was Gwen, not Peter, bitten by the radioactive spider. Similar to a Silk solo film, the plot would presumably focus on the struggles of the female Spider-Man.
Created by Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez, Spider-Gwen was first introduced during the “Spider-Verse” storyline, then went on to get her own title. With a bold alternate world, the Spider-Gwen comics also saw an infatuated Peter Parker turn himself into the villainous Lizard.
Aside from Peter Parker, Spider-Gwen is one of the greatest characters to don a suit and web-sling across the New York skyline. Like DCEU's Wonder Woman, Spider-Gwen could be a monumental female-first film.
11. Man-Wolf
If you didn’t already think that crossing a werewolf and Flash Gordon would be Hollywood gold, Man-Wolf is here to change your mind. Better known as John Jameson, Man-Wolf was the high-flying astronaut and son of feisty editor J. Jonah Jameson.
With J. Jonah Jameson being such a fan favorite (thanks mainly to J.K. Simmons), it is only right that the Jameson family get an expanded role in the Spiderverse. Despite his creation being as early as 1963, John Jameson is still a relatively unknown member of the group. Writer Gerry Conway decided to spice up the character in 1973 by introducing Man-Wolf.
While on a mission to the moon, Jameson discovered the Godstone gem which turned him into the lycanthropic Man-Wolf. There is certainly plenty of source material to go at: he lead Creatures on the Loose from #30 to #37 from 1974, was once the pilot of Captain America’s Quinjet, and even served as the head of security at the Ravencroft Institute.
Although he has appeared in animated form, Man-Wolf has been absent from live-action, though Daniel Gillies notably appeared as John Jameson, engaged to Mary Jane in Spider-Man 2. It is unknown if Raimi had planned on introducing the Man-Wolf persona, but we can but dream.
10. Tombstone
Lonnie Thompson Lincoln, aka Tombstone, could provide Spider-Man’s very own versions of The Godfather or Prison Break. Bringing the face of gang war to Marvel, Tombstone has worked with the good and the bad of Spider-Man villains. Introduced to focus in on third-tier character Joseph “Robbie” Robertson, Tombstone was Harlem’s only African-American albino, and he put his imposing stature to good use.
As a hitman and mob enforcer, Tombstone made the most of his appearance, filing his teeth to points and lifting weights to bulk up. While originally just a "normal" member of society, Lincoln eventually gained superhuman strength thanks to an accident at an Oscorp chemical plant. With ties to likes of Daredevil and The Punisher, Tombstone’s role outside of just another Spider-Man story makes him great film fodder.
A violent, R-rated Tombstone film would easily fit in amongst the likes of Venom and could join Spider-Man’s very own monsterverse thanks to his chilling look. Forget Caliban, Tombstone is the coolest albino that Marvel has introduced.
9. Hobgoblin
Forget green, that is so last season. Isn’t it about time that someone brought Hobgoblin and his glider soaring onto our screens? While Green Goblin may be the better-known Spider-Man foe, Hobgoblin has been doing the rounds since 1983 and rightly deserves a place in live-action Spider-Man.
With Hobgoblin being a moniker held by several villains, a solo film could tackle a variety of storylines, or even a Hobgoblin team-up with various versions of the villain.Writer Roger Stern was under pressure to have Spider-Man battle Green Goblin again but instead opted to introduce Hobgoblin instead. Most famously he was fashion designer-cum-billionaire, Roderick Kingsley. Kingsley became obsessed with original Green Goblin Norman Osborn and returned on several occasions to kill off various other iterations of the character.
In a more infamous storyline, Hobgoblin's identity unknown for a long time. It was one of the longest-running mysteries of the series and involved the unpopular reveal that he was Spider-Man’s friend, Ned Leeds. Stern returned to the comics in 1997 and retconned the decision, returning the identity to Kingsley.
While Ned Leeds will play a large part in Homecoming, ignoring his Hobgoblin era would be a huge disappointment.
8. Jackal And Carrion
You can’t have one without the other, but Jackal and Carrion are two of the most underrated Spider-Man villains out there. Miles Warren was the original Jackal, and putting his IQ to the test, created a whole host of Spider-Man characters thanks to his genetics.
Obsessed with Gwen Stacy, Professor Warren swore revenge on Spider-Man when he wrongly believed that Peter was responsible for her death. As time went on, Warren went from having a Jekyll and Hyde persona to actually morphing into an animalistic Jackal, complete with green skin.
After cloning both Peter and Gwen Stacy, Jackal was confronted in a dramatic stadium battle where a bomb went off and (apparently) killed him - but death was just the beginning. Featuring heavily in the controversial Clone Saga, Warren lead an army of clones against Spider-Man.
As for Carrion, the original was a clone of Warren who had become trapped in the cloning tube and was artificially aged to became a living corpse. The duo makes a comedy double act in their relentless pursuit of Spider-Man. While Carrion serves as an Igor-esque sidekick, Jackal is one of the ultimate mad scientists of Spider-Man’s world and rightly deserves a live-action outing.
7. Spider-Man 2099
While Batman Beyond took us into the bleak future of Gotham City, Spider-Man 2099 did the same for New York. Featuring in Marvel Comics' Marvel 2099 comic book line, Spider-Man 2099 was one of the most popular titles and still is today. This time, it was geneticist Miguel O'Hara who was the man behind the mask, and as the first latino to take on the mantle of Spider-Man, he is one of the best alternate Spideys out there.
Although the Spider-Man 2099 storyline was meant to wrap in 1998’s 2099: Manifest Destiny, O’Hara has since appeared in several other titles, including The Superior Spider-Man and Captain Marvel. A second solo run began in 2014, while Vol. 3 is still running now. There is no denying the popularity of the series, so why not take it to the big screen?
Focusing on a dystopian cyberpunk America, a Spider-Man 2099 film would surely be something beautiful to behold. Importantly though, we have (sort of) been here before. Although it wasn’t live action, there was once a Spider-Man 2099 animated series in development, but it was canned in favor of Spider-Man Unlimited at the turn of the century. Now could be the perfect time to bring O'Hara to life.
6. Morbius, The Living Vampire
One of the most tragic but fascinating characters to cross paths with Parker, Morbius, the Living Vampire was elevated to fan-favorite status thanks to Spider-Man: The Animated Series.
Morbius was introduced during The Amazing Spider-Man #101 in 1971 after the Comics Code Authority lifted their ban on vampires and other supernatural creatures. It was also the first Spider-Man issue written by someone other than Stan Lee. However, after sporadic appearances, Morbius didn’t get his own run until Morbius the Living Vampire in 1992.
Keen to create a Dracula-style character without going down the supernatural route, Morbius suffered from pseudo-vampirism when trying to cure himself of a rare blood disease. Originally appearing solely as a villain, Morbius these days is more of a mellowed version of his debut and a sympathetic antihero.
Offering such a unique take on the classic vampire genre, Morbius is one of the most promising Spider-Man characters in history. Although the Underworld series has flagged slightly, there is still a big appetite in Hollywood for vampire films, also, having a Morbius film would surely reignite the spark from the long-rumored Blade revival - quick, someone phone Wesley Snipes.
5. Kingpin
Probably the easiest film to put into production, who wouldn’t want to see a Kingpin feature film? The bald mobster is one of the most notorious Spider-Man villains and we can’t wait to see him button up that white suit and swing his pimp cane in Spider-Man's direction. Also, Vincent D'Onofrio is practically crying out for a Kingpin solo film, so get it done.
Barrelling into Spider-Man’s world in 1967, Kingpin, aka Wilson Fisk, is reportedly based on actor Sydney Greenstreet's large physique. It was appearing in Frank Miller’s Daredevil series that reinvented the character and took him from stereotypical mob boss to full-blown supervillainous crime lord.
Fisk already came to cinemas in 1989’s The Trial of the Incredible Hulk and Mark Steven Johnson’s maligned Daredevil, while D’Onofrio serves as the MCU version. Whether they keep D’Onofrio or bring someone else in for a non-Marvel Studios film, Kingpin certainly has the credentials and the strength to hold up his own film. These days he may be known more as a Daredevil villain, but let’s not forget Kingpin’s arachnid origins in the Spideyverse.
4. The Beyonder
Secret Wars is one of the best Spider-Man stories, while the Animated Series adaptation is also one of the show’s strongest episodes. The malevolent being known as the Beyonder kidnapped some of Marvel’s greatest heroes and villains and pitched them against each other on the Battleworld planet. The Beyonder appeared in the 1985 sequel, this time taking human form and a more antagonistic role in trying to destroy the universe.
Secret Wars II dramatically killed him off, but that hasn’t stopped the character popping up in stories until the mid ‘00s. Obsessed with human culture, The Beyonder’s motive is to study what makes Marvel’s heroes tick -- and Spider-Man tick, in particular.
While a Beyonder film may be hard to craft in terms of character rights, it could be an Avengers-style team-up and with who's-who of comic books. As one of Marvel’s most powerful villains, even if we don’t get a Beyonder solo film, he has to eventually make it to the silver screen.
3. Agent Venom
We already know that Venom is coming, but if the film is a success, it makes sense for a sequel to branch out into the rest of the symbiote’s life - specifically to anyone else who has taken the Venom name.
Apart from Eddie Brock, probably the best-known Venom is Flash Thompson and his Agent Venom story. A January 2011 interview “accidentally” revealed Thompson as the new Venom with a military-led character change. When he lost both his legs in the Iraq War, Flash struggled to deal and seized the chance to have the symbiote recreate his legs with bio-mass.
After first appearing in The Amazing Spider-Man #654, the character eventually got a whole title to himself, and also joined the Secret Avengers and Thaddeus Ross’ Thunderbolts. There are also plenty of Agent Venom stories to adapt. If Venom will be a bloodthirsty adventure, Agent Venom would be even more so. From slaughtering his fellow agents to shoving a grenade in Jack O’Lantern’s mouth, Thompson’s alien menace pulls no punches.
We know that Tony Revolori is playing Flash in Spider-Man: Homecoming, while a Venom sequel could take the character down the Agent Venom route.
2. Kraven The Hunter
One of the most popular Spider-Man characters ever, the animal-skin-wearing Kraven the Hunter is a must-include addition to the feature films. Originally despised by Marvel's writers, Kraven is mainly so popular thanks to the “Kraven’s Last Hunt” storyline.
As the half brother of Chameleon, Sergei Kravinoff is one of Spider-Man’s strongest non-powered foes. "Kraven's Last Hunt" focused on “the death of Spider-Man" as the hunter took on the role of Spider-Man to prove he could do it better. The best thing about “Kraven’s Last Hunt” is the fact that it is a largely Spider-Man absent adventure that could make things a little easier, production-wise.
Kraven was a lackluster villain at best and none of the editors had a problem with killing him off in “Last Hunt.” However, with the storyline proving so popular, it is hard to imagine a lame version of Kraven ever being around. Marc Webb confirmed that we see Kraven’s spear at the end of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and he was planning to introduce the character for a third film and the Sinister Six movie.
Kraven simply has to come into live-action and could easily have a whole film to himself. As for the casting, how about Javier Bardem as the snarling poacher?
1. Miles Morales
Move over Peter Parker, it is time to give someone else a shot - step up Miles Morales as the new and improved version. Just as the MCU is slowly moving toward replacing its heroes like Iron Man and Captain America, how long until Morales turns up as Spider-Man?
Although he is relatively new to the history of Spider-Man, Morales’ introduction in 2011 is reportedly based off Donald Glover and Barack Obama. Introduced following the death of Peter Parker, Morales was a breath of fresh air to the world of Spider-Man. Marvel editor-in-chief Axel Alonso described the character as a nerd with similar qualities to Peter Parker, which may be why he became so popular so quickly.
Stan Lee himself approved of the creation of a non-white Spider-Man, while critics have called out the character as a PR stunt of political correctness. Kevin Feige has confirmed that Miles won't appear in the MCU but that he would be interested in exploring the character. Chris Miller and Phil Lord will be bringing an animated Spider-Man film to our screens and Shameik Moore will provide Morales’ voice. As for a live-action film, expect Miles to get his own way at some point in the future.
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Which Spider-Man character would you most like to see with their own feature film? Sound off in the comments below!