Spoiler alert! This article contains spoilers for Kraven the Hunter.
Sony's Spider-Man Universe created some great Marvel stories that could have elevated the franchise that will never be resolved. Kraven the Hunter remains the last official entry in the SSU, closing the critically panned universe of Spider-Man related characters. Although films like Poison, Morbiusand Lady Teia introduced compelling ideas, they rarely followed through on them, leaving tantalizing threads unresolved in hopes of establishing a long-running franchise. Instead, audiences are left with a series of established narratives that have been completely wasted.
The SSU was launched in 2018 with Poison and was marketed as an alternative corner of the Marvel setting, independent of the MCU films but still tied to Spider-Man lore. Despite occasional moments of creativity, the series struggled to balance its ambitious plans with a coherent narrative, leaving many arcs underdeveloped or abandoned altogether. Now that Sony's Spider-Man universe has ended, it's clear how many unexplored narratives were being seeded throughout the franchise.
10
Knull's invasion of Earth
Venom: The Last Dance
Introduced in Marvel Comics Poison (2018) directed by Donny Cates and Ryan Stegman, Knull's invasion of Earth was a high-stakes apocalyptic storyline that reshaped the Marvel Universe. The SSU hinted at Knull's arrival in Venom: Let There Be Carnage before presenting it Venom: The Last Dance. The whole The last dance provoked his invasion of Earth. When that didn't happen, it looked like SSU was setting him up as a future threat.
Adapting Knull could have been the franchise's greatest achievement. The plot involves the symbiotes rebelling against their creator and teaming up with Earth's heroes to stop his dark conquest. SSU's existing narrative foundation provided the perfect setting for this cosmic battle. Could have been precisely the catalyst to form a version of the Sinister Sixbringing together countless anti-heroes from across the franchise to face the villain.
9
Kraven's ending set up a fascinating future for the antihero, just as Sony's Spider-Man universe ended
Kraven: The Hunter
Kraven the Hunter ended on a high note, finally transforming Sergei Kravinoff into his powerful Marvel Comics character Kraven the Hunter. In the final scenes, Kraven discusses his actions with his brother Dmitri, presenting an intriguing debate about Kraven's brand of heroism. This pondered whether Kraven was truly a complex antihero with his own vision of justice or simply an imitation of his villainous father. Kraven then dons his iconic lion-headed jacket, marking his complete evolution into the hunter seen in the comics.
These scenes offer the most compelling aspect of Kraven the Hunterexploring the line between antihero and villain. It provokes questions about whether he will become the villain seen in the comics or remain one of the SSU's afflicted heroes. With the abrupt end of the SSU, this, along with numerous other examples, suggests that the best the SSU had to offer was yet to come.
8
Morbius teams up with the vulture
Morbius
The post-credits scene of Morbius featured Adrian Toomes, aka the Vulture, approaching Dr. Michael Morbius with a cryptic proposal: “I think we should come together.” This moment felt lay the groundwork for a Sinister Six filmuniting Spider-Man's most infamous villains. Unfortunately, SSU never pursued this storyline again, becoming the franchise's most glaring missed opportunity.
The idea of Morbius and Vulture forming an alliance was intriguing, as it hinted at a larger shared universe similar to the MCU. However, this idea was never referenced in subsequent films, leaving audiences to wonder what plans Sony had in store. A Sinister Six film could have been SSU's answer to Marvel's Avengers, uniting your disparate characters under a common goal. Instead, SSU's shared universe concept remained superficial, with no meaningful connections between its films.
7
Dr. Teddy Paine joins the agony
Venom: The Last Dance
Venom: The Last Dance introduced Dr. Teddy Paine, a scientist whose work with symbiotes led her to bond with a symbiote during the film's climactic final battle. Paine teams up with Agony, a well-known symbiote from the comics, setting up an exciting new potential chapter at SSU. The debut of Agonia suggested a more expansive Symbiote narrative would follow – which would have been ideal for an adaptation of Knull's invasion of Earth.
The duo of Paine and Agony promised an exciting dynamic, exploring how human ambition and tragedy could influence a symbiote's power and bond with its host. This setup also hinted at a broader exploration of Symbiote mythology, expanding the franchise's Symbiote line with more benevolent monsters. However, with the abrupt conclusion of SSU, this story was left hanging, depriving the public of what could have been an exciting continuation of the Symbiote saga.
6
The remains of the Venom symbiote
Spider-Man: No Way Home
The Venom Symbiote's multiverse fragments were another topic that SSU left unresolved. Following the events of Spider-Man: No Way Homea piece of Venom remained in the MCU, while Venom: The Last Dance revealed that Strickland had captured a fragment of a Mexican bar. Those remaining remnants hinted at a future where the Symbiote's influence could spread across multiple timelines.
The idea of Venom's remnants playing a larger role in the Marvel multiverse was rich with potential. For example, SSU could have explored new hosts or even crossed over into the MCU timeline to introduce characters like Miles Morales or Gwen Stacy. Instead, these ftatters became narrative loose endsa frustrating reminder of what could have been. The untapped potential of Venom's multiversal reach remains one of SSU's biggest missed opportunities.
5
The Spider-Women take action
Lady Teia
Lady Teia featured three spider-powered heroes: Julia Carpenter, Mattie Franklin, and Anya Corazon. The film only presented glimpses of his future exploits through flash-forwards. teasing their eventual transformation into fully realized Spider-Women as they work under Madame Web's guidance. However, these scenes served more as setup than payoff, as the film mostly focused on their origin stories, with only brief glimpses of their fully formed heroism.
The Spider-Women's brief appearances teased dynamic future adventures. Their diverse powers and personalities could have anchored a series of developments, expanding the SSU's roster of heroes. Additionally, Madame Web's role as mentor and strategist hinted at a larger network of spider-heroes working behind the scenes. Unfortunately, SSU's premature end means audiences will likely never see these characters reach their full potential, wasting a golden opportunity to highlight Marvel's Spider-Heroes.
4
Rex Strickland's Dark Boss
Venom: The Last Dance
Venom: The Last Dance introduced Rex Strickland, a morally ambiguous military figure who works under the orders of a mysterious superior. This shadowy figure – presumably a high-ranking government official – was implied to have a personal interest in the symbiotes, potentially setting up a larger conspiracy within the SSU. This subplot hinted at a clandestine organization similar to S.H.I.E.L.D. or Norman Osborne's Oscorp, with plans to weaponize the symbiotes at some point in the future.
Strickland's storyline was one of the most intriguing elements of Venom: The Last Dance, offering a grounded counterpoint to the franchise's larger-than-life characters. However, the film ends without revealing the identity or motives of Strickland's bossleaving this mystery unsolved. This missed opportunity robbed SSU of a compelling antagonist and an opportunity to explore the intersection of government, science, and alien biology.
3
Eddie Brock's Son Dylan Was Teased and Would Have Fitted Into Knull's Invasion
Venom: The Last Dance
In Venom: The Last DanceEddie Brock's interactions with a boy hinted at the arrival of Dylan Brock, a central character in the comics. In the source material, Dylan is Eddie's son and becomes a key figure in the fight against Knull. The film subtle nods to Eddie's potential as a fatherincluding Venom's touching comments about Eddie being a good father, seemed to allude to this storyline.
Dylan's introduction could have tied seamlessly into the broader SSU narrativeespecially if the franchise had pursued Knull's invasion of Earth. His unique bond with the symbiotes and his role as host would have added depth to Eddie's character and expanded the SSU mythology. Providing the perfect opportunity to continue the story after Tom Hardy Poison completed trilogy. Unfortunately, SSU ended before Dylan's story could be updated.
2
The chameleon's descent into villainy
Kraven the Hunter
Kraven the Hunter introduced Dmitri Smerdyakov, aka Chameleon, as a central figure in Sergei's journey. The film's climax revealed Dmitri's transformation into the iconic white-headed shapeshifter, setting up potential conflict between the brothers. This twist positioned the Chameleon as a future antagonist, with the potential to challenge Kraven both personally and professionally. The film ends with the two evaluating each other and alluding to a future confrontation.
The Chameleon's descent into villainy could have provided a compelling narrative arc for SSU, exploring themes of family loyalty and betrayal. Furthermore, Dmitri's mastery of disguise and deception made him a formidable foe, capable of destabilizing Kraven's anti-heroic path. However, SSU's abrupt conclusion left this story unresolved, wasting one of Spider-Man's most intriguing villains. Chameleon was Spider-Man's first adversary, so he should have had real time to flourish as a villain.
1
Spider-Man was teased and only mentioned as a child
Morbius, Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Madame Web
Spider-Man's absence from SSU was perhaps the most glaring omission. The situation was made even more irritating by the franchise's repeated teasing about his appearance. Spider-Man graffiti appeared on a wall in Morbiusand Venom: Let There Be Carnage featured Venom's fascination with Peter Parker during a multiverse crossover. Most notably, Lady Teia made reference to Peter's birth in 2003, establishing its existence within the SSU timeline.
Despite these teases, Spider-Man never appeared in Sony's Spider-Man Universe. His absence was especially jarring given the franchise's reliance on its rogues' gallery and supporting characters. A proper introduction to Spider-Man could have unified the disparate elements of the SSU and provided a central figure to rally around (or against). With each episode rumors persisted that some version of Spider-Man would appear – often suggesting Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man. Instead, the SSU ended with only fleeting references to its most iconic character.