Sony’s Venom Spinoffs Are In The Amazing Spider-Man Timeline – Theory Explained

Warning: Contains spoilers for Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Sony could reveal Venom and other villain spinoff movies take place in the Amazing Spider-Man timeline, and here’s how the popular theory can work. Sony Pictures has dreamed of creating a shared universe filled with Spider-Man and adjacent characters for years. The studio finally achieved this goal with the release of Venom in 2018. The movie’s huge box office success gave the studio confidence to move forward with other plans, including reviving many ideas originally meant for the Amazing Spider-Man franchise.

Once Sony got a grasp on Spider-Man by rebooting him as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Venom and other villain spinoffs became their other primary focus. The studio released Venom: Let There Be Carnage in 2021, which brought Tom Hardy back as the symbiote-powered anti-hero. There are also plans for Jared Leto’s Morbius to release in early 2022, while a Kraven the Hunter movie starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson is planned for 2023. The question that has loomed over Venom and the upcoming villain movies, though, is whether they’re connected to Tom Holland’s Spider-Man and the MCU, exist within their own universe, or secretly are set in one of Sony’s previous Spider-Man franchises.

Thanks to Spider-Man: No Way Home, it is now quite definitive that Venom and other movies in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe are not connected to the MCU. However, the film’s decision to bring back Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield as their respective Spider-Men has sparked debate about each of their futures. Garfield’s Spidey and the Amazing Spider-Man franchise have specifically become a huge topic. There is growing support to see this story continue, and it might involve Sony folding the Venom spinoffs into the Amazing Spider-Man timeline.

How Amazing Spider-Man Movies Fit In Sony & MCU’s Universes

When Sony originally made the Amazing Spider-Man movies, Andrew Garfield’s solo films existed in their own universe. There were ideas about tying the films into the MCU that ultimately didn’t materialize. The Amazing Spider-Man and The Amazing Spider-Man 2 instead told a standalone story focused on Garfield’s Peter Parker that existed outside of the MCU and rebooted the continuity from Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man trilogy. The series came to an end with 2014’s sequel, despite Sony’s plans to kick off a much bigger universe.

Due to Tom Holland’s Spider-Man rebooting the character again, the Amazing Spider-Man timeline ended there for all intents and purposes. Sony eventually used the favor gained from the MCU reboot to get audiences excited for Tom Hardy’s Venom. When the movie became one of 2018’s biggest box office hits and surprises, plans for other spinoffs moved forward quickly. The studio never specifically confirmed what universes these movies took place in. This led to questions about Venom and other films existing in the MCU, but Venom: Let There Be Carnage proved that isn’t the case – as Hardy’s Venom traveled to the MCU briefly. Furthermore, there have not been any signs that these villain movies are in any way connected to the Amazing Spider-Man franchise.

The events of Spider-Man: No Way Home have now confirmed that Amazing Spider-Man‘s timeline is part of the MCU’s multiverse. Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man crossed over to the main MCU timeline due to Doctor Strange’s botched spell. He went on to help Holland’s Peter save the multiverse villains, and ultimately returned to his original timeline at the end. Spider-Man: No Way Home leaves the door open for Andrew Garfield to return as Spider-Man again in some capacity, whether in his original universe or another multiverse crossover.

Why Andrew Garfield Needs To Return As Spider-Man After No Way Home

The desire to see more of Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man has arguably never been higher than after audiences around the world saw him in Spider-Man: No Way Home. He’s a central supporting character in the movie and has many of the sequel’s best scenes, ranging from saving MJ from dying in the same fashion as Gwen Stacy to telling Holland and Maguire’s Spideys that he loves them. Garfield went all out with his Spider-Man: No Way Home performance and gained the recognition he deserved for what he brought to the role before. As a result, it would be shocking if Sony elected not to bring him back and capitalize on his Spider-Man’s renewed popularity.

Andrew Garfield was never the problem with the Amazing Spider-Man franchise, as its story and universe building often got in the way. However, he also never got a chance to have a proper finale since The Amazing Spider-Man 2 set up a sequel and other spinoffs he was meant to be part of. Spider-Man: No Way Home has now given Garfield’s Spider-Man a better final appearance if that is what it becomes, but it also sets him up to do so much more. Teases of his darker turn and his renewed self-appreciation show glimpses of what The Amazing Spider-Man 3 could explore if it happens. Even if it doesn’t, Sony can still utilize Garfield’s amazing Spider-Man once again.

How Amazing Spider-Man Movies Can Connect With The VenomVerse

The idea of Sony’s VenomVerse existing in the Amazing Spider-Man timeline has been theorized before, but Spider-Man: No Way Home finally brings some credibility to the possibility. Venom sidestepped any Amazing Spider-Man connections by taking Eddie Brock to San Francisco after losing his job in New York. The movie theoretically takes place roughly four years after the events of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 based on when each film was released, with Venom: Let There Be Carnage picking up sometime later. It would be quite easy for Sony to now connect the two franchises, as Tom Hardy’s Venom knows about Spider-Man and Peter Parker thanks to Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s post-credits. Eddie Brock could seek out his universe’s Peter Parker in Venom 3, leading him to meet Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man. If it happens, Sony can pay off Garfield’s mention of wanting to fight an alien as the other two Spideys have.

As for Morbius, Sony has already teased a possible connection between Jared Leto’s movie and the Amazing Spider-Man franchise. Oscorp Tower is featured in the Morbius trailer, and it is the same logo from Garfield’s franchise. That potentially confirms the film takes place in the Amazing Spider-Man timeline. Since Morbius also references Venom a few times, that would solidify this theory is precisely what Sony is planning. The trailers might have also hidden another reference to Garfield’s Spider-Man in that scenario. An alley poster showed “murderer” painted across an image of Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man suit, which Sony could have digitally changed to hide the fact it is really Garfield’s. This could then connect to Spider-Man: No Way Home‘s tease that he stopped pulling his punches and reveal he did kill some of his villains.

Looking ahead to what else Sony has planned for its VenomVerse, there is a chance Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man will return in Kraven the Hunter. The movie’s screenwriter has repeatedly said that Spider-Man is part of the story as it loosely adapts Kraven’s Last Hunt. Many wondered if that would mean Tom Holland’s version would appear, and that Spider-Man: No Way Home ended with him in Sony’s universe. However, the movie’s ending makes that seem highly unlikely as he starts his new life in the MCU. This could leave Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man as the best answer to which version of the web-slinger will appear. Kraven could be hunting him down due to the dark path he took after The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

Garfield’s Spider-Man Could Finally Get His Sinister Six

Sony making Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man the focus of the VenomVerse and connecting all the films could also give Sinister Six new life. Andrew Garfield was originally meant to return in the villain-centric film after The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Although Sinister Six didn’t happen then, Sony remains highly interested in bringing its various villains together in this way. It is impossible to do that without involving a Spider-Man too. Since Holland’s Spider-Man 4 could take him towards Venom or Kingpin, the studio can finally fulfill the Sinister Six future intended for Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man by tying their villain movies to the Amazing Spider-Man franchise.

If Andrew Garfield does star in Sony’s Sinister Six, it is pretty easy to piece together the villain lineup he could face. This could be a place for Rhino to return after The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Michael Keeton’s Morbius appearance could make him Sony’s Vulture and allow him to join the villain team. It is also likely that Sony’s three lead villains – Venom, Morbius, and Kraven – would take on prominent roles. That leaves one spot left to fill, with Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan), Black Cat, Silver Sable, Jackpot, Doc Ock, and others candidates to appear. It’s unknown how Sony prefers to crossover all its villains, but doing so in the Amazing Spider-Man timeline could be a huge hit.