J.K. Simmons' J. Jonah Jameson might return in Venom: Let There Be Carnage, and here's why Sony could do that and what it means. The first Venom proved to be the massive success Sony needed to launch their own Marvel shared universe, officially known as the Sony Pictures Universe of Marvel Characters. Venom 2 brings Tom Hardy back as Eddie Brock and Venom to face off against Woody Harrelson's Carnage. The movie could be largely standalone in its story, but questions continue to loom about how it connects to the SPUMC (or even the Marvel Cinematic Universe).

As Sony gears up for Venom 2MorbiusKraven the Hunter, and other projects to be released, they are already showing signs of connective tissue between the SPUMC films, the MCU, and even past Spider-Man franchises. How it all fits together remains to be seen, but it already confirmed Michael Keaton's Vulture is in Morbius, with Hardy's Venom now heavily expected to appear too. Meanwhile, Spider-Man: Far From Home brought J.K. Simmons back to play J. Jonah Jameson, although he is a different version of the character he famously played in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy.

Related: Is Venom 2's Daily Bugle An MCU Plot Hole?

Now that J.K. Simmons is rumored to appear in Venom 2 as J. Jonah Jameson, he is the latest possible example of Sony tying their various Spider-Man properties together. That could be exactly why Sony brought him into the sequel. It would be tough for Jared Leto or Tom Holland to appear on set without it leaking, but J.K. Simmons recording another broadcast in front of a greenscreen can largely be kept quiet. Sony is in the early stages of building whatever the SPUMC will become too. Using Jameson as the Phil Coulson-like character who has small appearances in different films to tie them together is rather smart on their part.

J Jonah Jameson and Daily Bugle

J. Jonah Jameson appearing in Venom: Let There Be Carnage raises a few important questions, though. The biggest is obviously what it means for how the movie is tied to Sony's various Spider-Man franchises. Simmons has played two different versions of Jameson with different looks, so his actual appearance in Venom 2 will speak volumes. His look and the state of the Daily Bugle can clarify if this is the same JJJ seen in Spider-Man: Far From Home or the Raimi-verse, or if he is an entirely new variant that separates the SPUMC from the MCU and past films. Any of these outcomes has huge ramifications on the future of the SPUMC in theory, with Spider-Man: No Way Home's multiverse plot likely to create a bridge to cross them all over anyway.

So, what will Jameson's role in Venom: Let There Be Carnage actually be? The best case scenario is that he is a minor supporting character, while a simple cameo could also be all this amounts to. The Venom 2 trailers have shown references to the Daily Bugle (with the Raimi Spider-Man logo for what it's worth). If Eddie Brock pursues his journalism career again, that could bring him face-to-face with Jameson. But, his role could also be an avenue to eventually connect Venom and Holland's Spider-Man to pull off the crossover many want to see. Considering how well Simmons' return went over with fans in 2019, his possible appearance in Venom: Let There Be Carnage is sure to be another highlight.

MORE: What Tom Hardy In Morbius Means For Sony's Spiderverse Future

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