Top 10 Spider-Man Villains Who Deserve Their Own Movie

There is arguably no villain more deeply intertwined with Spider-Man’s journey and identity as a hero than Norman Osborne, aka the Green Goblin. Yes, other people have taken up the mantle since, but none of them have the clout to anchor a film. Even so, given the relationship between Spidey and Osborne, it can be hard to imagine the Green Goblin ever taking to the skies without the web-head around to tangle with. But upon closer inspection of Osborne’s comic book legacy, one begins to see the potential for a tale of a businessman driven mad with ambition. Green Goblin, mentally unstable agent of corporate espionage? It could work.

You’ve probably noticed there’s been an increased fascination with the villain’s journey in the 21st century. “Dexter”, “The Sopranos”, “Breaking Bad” - people love to see the rise and fall of the so-called bad guy. Marvel’s Kingpin has proven himself to be a formidable foe, both in the comics and on Netflix’s Daredevil. In a feature film of his very own, however, he could finally get the sort of fleshed story worthy of a man of his stature. Think “Scarface”, “Casino” or “The Godfather”, but with Wilson Fisk as our protagonist.

Tom Hardy’s adventure as Venom seemingly existed in isolation from Spider-Man, and that’s fine, at least for now. But if Sony really wants to capitalize on their potential cinematic Spider-Verse, they are eventually going to need to start making connections between their films. Should the sequel to “Spider-Man: Homecoming” prove a success, Mysterio becomes a great place to start. Having nabbed an A-lister like Jake Gyllenhaal for the role in Spider-Man: Far From Home”, they’ve got the name recognition to have this master of illusions and conniving criminal stretch his legs with a villainous solo film. A tragic origin story? Sure. A villain versus villain “heist off” between him and the vulture? Even better.

With Marvel failing to pull the trigger on a Black Widow film, Sony should jump on the opportunity and satisfy the demand for a female-led action/spy thriller with Silver Sable. There was talk of a Silver & Black movie, but the project has since aborted in favor of rumored solo features. Unlike Morbius however, these movies don’t seem to be going into production anytime soon, so we’re not holding our breath. It’d be a shame if the Silver Sable film never materialized since she’s exactly what the genre needs. A mercenary who’s worked both with and against Spider-Man, she’s known for tracking down Nazi war criminals. Can you say badass? Make it happen Sony!

We know what you’re thinking. How does a C-lister like Prowler earn a spot on this list above the likes of Green Goblin and Kingpin? The thing is, those characters would require a serious departure from the genre and rock-solid screenplay to make their stories work. The Prowler, by contrast, already inhabits a gray area, having vacillated between villain and antihero/vigilante, not unlike Venom. The moniker has been used by both Hobie Brown and Aaron Davis among others, but the latter is notable for having been the uncle of Ultimate Spider-Man, Miles Morales. Having Donald Glover in the role means casting is already taken care of. Either way, Forget planetary stakes and massive spectacle, Prowler’s story could be a gritty and grounded film with a conservative budget.

As we were saying, with “Silver & Black” officially removed from Sony’s list of upcoming releases, the future is looking uncertain for Black Cat. The thing is, of all the characters in Sony’s Spidey arsenal, Black Cat is among those with the most name recognition and the most straightforward story. Black Cat doesn’t need Spider-Man. She’s a cat burglar. Pretty straightforward. With these narrative elements to play with, the plot writes itself. This is a family drama/caper film with elements of superhero costumes and combat. Sony has teased us with Felicia Hardy before… it’s time they throw caution to the wind and try their luck with Black Cat.

The Lizard deserves better than what he got in Marc Webb’s “Amazing Spider-Man”. In order to be done justice on the big screen, Dr. Curt Connors needs to be treated as more than a tragic problem to solve - he has a story of his very own, which was sadly overshadowed in the 2012 reboot. Give Connors an origin story in the vein of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Explore his accident, his family life and the manner in which his good intentions led to terrible results. The story of the Lizard is the story of a tortured soul. Once he’s been fully fleshed out as a character, then bring him into the world of Peter Parker.

We’re going out on a bit of a limb here but bear with us. We want to see an adaptation of the Superior Spider-Man. Begin by having Spidey beat and ridicule Doc Ock time and time again. Then… have Spidey die in an accident or in combat with another villain, only for the not so good doctor to take over his body and carry on the mantle. By the end of the film, he’s gone from arrogant-villain-in-disguise to bona fide hero. Of course, this newfound heroism results in him resurrecting the real Parker, returning the old status quo. Is it far-fetched? Absolutely. But it would certainly be worth watching.

Admittedly, Kraven the Hunter feels better suited for a cameo in Jumanji 3 than his own Sony Spiderverse film. But in the right hands, Kraven could actually be kind of cool. We’re just spitballing here, but we wouldn’t mind seeing them take a page from the ultimate universe by having Kraven start off as a reality star. From there, head into uncharted territory. Have filming go wrong and Kraven become embroiled in a poaching scheme, which gives him a whole new appreciation for the animals he interacts with on tv. Kraven earns his title of “the Hunter” when follows the poachers back to the big city. There’s reportedly a script in the works.

We know... we know. Carnage is being set up as the villain for the Venom sequel. But here’s the thing... after these two inevitably throw down, we’d really like to see Carnage and Cletus Kasady slink off to do what they do best unhampered by Eddie Brock or Peter Parker. We want an R-rated Carnage horror film. We have no idea how this movie could possibly end without some sort of superheroic Deus Ex Machina, we just know that Carnage deserves a shot at the title of greatest horror movie monster ever to hit cinemas. The world of Marvel comics and Venom’s PG-13 franchise are too safe for a character like Carnage. Let’s unleash the beast.