For now, Spider-Man is set to remain part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the wall-crawler inhabiting that shared world doesn't mean Sony Pictures is going to slow down on expanding the SUMC (Sony's Universe of Marvel Characters). Kraven the Hunter is reportedly getting his own movie, while plans are still said to be in place for a Mysterio spinoff as well.
Throw in reports of obscure characters like Man-Wolf and Solo getting their own films alongside the previously reported Jackpot and Silver Sable projects, and it's clear that the studio is really taking advantage of the Marvel characters they hold the rights to (all of whom are tied to Spidey).
The big question is, who else could join them?
Well, we've mined the depths of our comic book knowledge to bring you a look at ten heroes and villains we believe could actually end up stealing the show in their own big screen adventures!
There are some weird and pretty amazing names here, so hit the "Next" button to take a look.
10. Spidercide
Another Spider-Man clone created by The Jackal, Spidercide was convinced that he was the real Peter Parker and that ultimately led him down a dark path. Created solely to destroy the actual wall-crawler, he has all of Spidey's abilities...and a few extras to go with them.
That includes being able to control his body at the molecular level, and he can stretch his limbs like Mister Fantastic or shapeshift and completely alter his appearance.
A movie revolving around this twisted version of Spider-Man could be a lot of fun, and introducing the concept of clones in the SUMC opens the door to a lot of very exciting storytelling possibilities. Making him an anti-hero of sorts might be the smartest move, but a villainous, powered up version of Spidey tearing through New York City would be no bad thing.
9. Boomerang
Thanks to Nick Spencer's Superior Foes of Spider-Man series, Boomerang has become a real fan-favourite (and is now a major supporting character in the pages of Amazing Spider-Man).
Giving him his own solo outing might sound like a stretch, but he's an entertaining character and this could even be a full-blown comedy! Throw in some other villains from the aforementioned series, and this would potentially be a film that could set the stage for a Superior Foes spinoff.
Fred Myers just so happens to be a pretty interesting guy as he gave up a promising career in baseball to become a supervillain, a decision which haunted him for years.
8. White Rabbit
Lorina Dodson was obsessed with Alice in Wonderland as a youth and grew up in wealth. After being forced to marry someone she didn't love, Lorina killed him and used her husband's fortune to buy the necessary gadgets and weaponry to become a villain and live the life of adventure she wanted.
Taking on the White Rabbit moniker, she's never exactly been an A-Lister and despite having some unique items at her disposal, she also doesn't pose a major threat to Spider-Man!
That really doesn't matter, though, because with a solid supporting cast, this is definitely a character with big screen potential. Sony could even make her a wannabe superhero, and if some sort of female team-up movie is in the works somewhere down the line, including her would be a fun move.
7. Cold Heart
Like Solo, Cold Heart is definitely not a character even the biggest Spider-Man fans are likely to be aware of. In the comic books, Kateri Deseronto lost her son when he was caught in the crossfire of a battle between a superhero and supervillain. Left wanting revenge on those who had powers, she used her government training to start hunting down heroes as "Cold Heart."
Wielding a pair of cyro-blades, she can shoot ice beams and freeze people with a single touch, and all of this has the makings of what could be a low-budget, enjoyable action movie.
Sony would be free to take some creative liberties with the character and she could be portrayed as a villain (like her comic book counterpart) or hero anywhere on the planet. Perhaps the big screen version of Cold Heart lost her son when Spider-Man was battling Mysterio in London, for example?
6. Cardiac
Cardiac isn't a big name character by any means, but he's genuinely very interesting. In the comics, Eli Wirtham vowed to help people after his younger brother died of a rare disease. Building a medical empire, he eventually bought the company that could have cured his brother, but learned that they decided not to release that after putting profit before people.
Outraged, he made another vow: to never left an injustice like that happen ever again.
Replacing his own heart with an artificial one capable of general vast amounts of electrical power, Eli created a staff to focus those energies into a concussive blast. Throw in a powerful costume which increases his strength and agility, Cardiac became a powerful new superhero, and if you can't see the big screen potential here, we really don't know what to say!
5. The Wraith
Captain Yuri Watanabe worked closely with Jean DeWolff and George Stacy before their deaths, and witnessed some pretty horrible things over the years while working for the NYPD.
Eventually growing tired of witnessing Injustice, Yuri used equipment taken from villains like Mysterio and Mr. Fear to become a vigilante known as The Wraith. Posing as Jean, she terrorised the Big Apple's Underworld, and actually made a real difference (albeit with some brutal methods).
This sort of tale is a familiar one, but it could be fun to watch play out on screen, and Yuri is another character Sony could take some creative liberties with while telling her story.
4. The Prowler
Hobie Brown was actually introduce in Spider-Man: Homecoming, and if Sony Pictures can convince Donald Glover to reprise the role here, then this movie would pretty much already be a hit!
A brilliant inventor who was initially a criminal, The Prowler's run ins with Spider-Man ultimately set him on a more heroic path, and he used his knowledge and abilities to become a superhero.
Hobie has been involved in a lot of very interesting and exciting storylines over the years, so the studio has plenty of comic books to turn to for inspiration. It would obviously be fun to explore his relationship with Spidey, but that's not a necessity, and this is a tale that could very easily be standalone in nature.
3. Hummingbird
Saved by Kaine (another Peter Parker clone) from human traffickers, Aracely is a young Mexican girl and supposedly the host to Huitzilopochtli, the Aztec God of War.
Eventually suiting up and taking on the "Hummingbird" moniker, she successfully infiltrated the Jean Grey School alongside Scarlet Spider and successfully took down a fair few mutants with her powers (which include sensing people's emotions and inducing fear in them). Aracely can also fly and even projects fire from her hands when tapping into her God-like powers.
There's a lot Sony could do with this young hero, and we definitely wouldn't say no to seeing her team-up with the likes of Spider-Woman, Silk, and Black Cat on the big screen!
2. Tombstone
As a child, Lonnie Thompson was bullied for his unorthodox appearance; ultimately, he grew stronger and taller than his peers, and wasted no time in seeking vengeance. However, the way he was treated also sent him down a dark path, and he became a hitman who took full advantage of his unique appearance.
Filing his teeth down to spikes, he would speak only in whispers and was eventually injected with an experimental serum which have him enhanced strength and unbreakable skin.
Telling the story of this gangster could be a lot of fun, and while focusing on a villain might be a hard sell to moviegoers, the right story could result in a compelling movie. This is another film which would require a strong supporting cast, but we think Tombstone is a strong enough character to hold his own here.
1. Ezekiel
Introduced in the pages of J. Michael Straczynski, Ezekiel Sims made a deal with an ancient power and was rewarded with the powers of a spider almost identical to those of Spider-Man.
While he initially planned on being a superhero, he grew too busy creating a corporation, and when it came time to repay his debt, Ezekiel decided to try and sacrifice Peter Parker in his place.
The concept of another "Spider-Man" being out there somewhere is an interesting one, while getting an older actor to take on that role would definitely be pretty cool. Villains like Morlun or Shathra could appear in this movie, but we would definitely want Ezekiel to cross paths with Spidey.