'Venom' to be written and possibly directed by Gary Ross

[AristotleP]

Gary Ross is writing “Venom,” Columbia’s “Spider-Man” spinoff based on one of the villains from “Spider-Man 3,” as a potential directing vehicle. Ross is already writing “Spider-Man 4” for the studio.

In the comics, Venom is a gooey alien parasite that bonds with Peter Parker and later his newsroom rival, among other people, becoming one of more popular villains in "Spider-Man’s" rogue gallery.

Topher Grace portrayed the character in the 2007 movie, which ended with both the human and the alien symbiote apparently destroyed in an explosion.

The studio had no comment on Grace’s involvement nor on Ross writing the project.

Avi Arad and Marvel are producing the movie.

Ross, repped by CAA, hasn’t directed a movie since 2003’s “Seabiscuit.”

comingsoon.net

[Sheridan Passell]

I really don't know about this whole idea. Venom needs Spider-Man.

[dnwilliams]

yeah, i'm not in favor of a venom solo movie at all, especially a reboot of the character when the reat of the franchise is remaining in tact. but yeh, venom without spider-man is pretty crappy. plus, they killed him, didn't they?

[dalmatianjaws]

I went to a talk-back with the writers of Zombieland and they said they couldn't comment on Venom at all, even though they are listed as the writers.

Curious.

Yeah. With the Deadpool spin-off I can understand cause he can have his own villains and stories ... but what is the Venom story?  I bet you anything he's the ultimate bad ass until Carnage comes along, and then he decides to "fight for good" to save the planet. I'll be so pissed. I guess they could do a whole Jekyll and Hyde thing with him. But either route wouldn't fit in with Spider-Man 3 at all. Which isn't really a bad thing. Though I thought Topher did an admirable job, and I thought turning Brock into a Parker-double had its merits, that whole storyline was a complete waste. Mainly because Raimi didn't want to do it so he's very careless about it.

[dnwilliams]

Mainly because Raimi didn't want to do it so he's very careless about it.

i don't think he was careless, i think he was so committed to a character he was unfamiliar with due to the insistance of those around him that he tried to transform the character into something that would appeal to him. that's why venom's not just a spider-man doppelganger, he's a peter parker doppelganger - because raimi's more interested in peter.

[Sheridan Passell]

Poor Raimi has to have a character he didn't know beforehand boohoo. How hard it is being a director let's all give him a cuddle.

Also, there is no doubt in my mind it'll be exactly this -

I bet you anything he's the ultimate bad ass until Carnage comes along, and then he decides to "fight for good" to save the planet

They'll ignore Spider-Man 3.

[dnwilliams]

Poor Raimi has to have a character he didn't know beforehand boohoo. How hard it is being a director let's all give him a cuddle.

okay, i lol'd