The long-gestating Spider-Man spinoff “Venom” has gotten new life at Sony, which has hired Dante Harper to write the script, TheWrap has learned.
Avi Arad and Matt Tolmach are producing the movie, which is expected to launch a new franchise that exists separately from and unrelated to the upcoming Spider-Man movies starring Tom Holland. Plot details, however, are being kept under wraps.
In the Spidey comics, Venom is an alien symbiote who needs a human host to survive. In return, the host is granted incredible powers rivaling those of Spider-Man.
Originally introduced in 1998, as one of Spider-Man’s villains, Venom grew to become an anti-hero and is currently established as a full-fledged hero in the Marvel Comics universe.
Columbia Pictures executives Palak Patel and Eric Fineman will oversee the project on behalf of the studio, which cast Topher Grace as the character in “Spider-Man 3.”
Harper worked on Tom Cruise‘s acclaimed action movie “Edge of Tomorrow” and co-wrote the upcoming Jamie Foxx thriller “Sleepless Night.” He’s represented by CAA, Management 360, and Lichter, Grossman.
The Hollywood Reporter broke the news of Harper’s hiring.