One of Spider-Man: Brand New Day's villain stars hinted that fans may see Venom come into play for the MCU's next solo web-slinger movie. Venom's presence in the MCU is currently limited to one post-credits scene, as Spider-Man: No Way Home finished with Tom Hardy's Eddie Brock being transported back to his own world and leaving a drop of the Venom symbiote behind. However, five years after that film, the symbiote may finally get its chance to shine in the MCU spotlight.
Michael Mando shared a post on social media confirming his return to the MCU as Mac Gargan/Scorpion in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Mando joined the MCU in 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming, playing a minor role as Mac Gargan. Thus far, this marks his only appearance in the MCU to date, although fans remained hopeful that he would evolve into his villainous alter-ego, Scorpion. Now, not only does that appear close to happening, but it may come with something extra.
Mando shared a new image on his Instagram Story of a Marvel Comics image of Scorpion in his full villain costume. In front of the green-costumed villain is Venom, sticking his tongue out and looking menacing. This image comes from a variant cover of the 2019 comic run titled Absolute Carnage: Miles Morales, drawn by Leinil Francis Yu, which centers on Miles Morales taking on the Scorpion.
While this specific comic merely includes Mac Gargan and Venom in the same story, the Venom symbiote does infect the Scorpion in 2005's Marvel Knights: Spider-Man #10.
In this issue, he joins Norman Osborn's Thunderbolts team and later poses as a black-suited Spider-Man in a Dark Avengers comic. Considering that Eddie Brock is most commonly associated with Venom in comics, this 2005 story features Gargan embracing the symbiote and its powers.
Thus far, Mando's only MCU appearance ended with Mac Gargan in jail alongside Michael Keaton's Adrian Toomes Vulture and expressing an interest in finding out Spider-Man's identity.
Along with the world learning and subsequently forgetting that Peter Parker is Spider-Man in Spider-Man: No Way Home, the threequel finished with the aforementioned Venom tease, as a small bit of the symbiote was stranded in a Mexican bar.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be the fourth solo Spidey film for Tom Holland's web-slinger and the second theatrical release in Phase 6. Also starring Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Mark Ruffalo, Jon Bernthal, and more, Spidey will have to operate in a world unaware of Peter Parker's existence while facing villains unlike anything he has ever seen before. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is filming and will be released in theaters on July 31, 2026.
Could Mac Gargan (Scorpion) Become the MCU's First Official Venom?
With Mando teasing the idea of Scorpion and Venom uniting in this image, many wonder if this plot point will be realized on the big screen. Important to remember is that Marvel movies are often inspired by different comics rather than ripping straight from the pages (although plenty of moments have been replicated almost shot-for-shot as well). However, with only a few small changes, this could be replicated in a new way that still pays tribute to its comic predecessor.
In this instance, Scorpion becoming Venom could tie back naturally to the original MCU Spider-Man trilogy without using Eddie Brock. This would bring a new take on the classic Spidey vs. Venom fight after Venom: The Last Dance retconned Venom's trip to the MCU for Sony's Spider-Man Universe, not diving into the repercussions of Venom being left on Earth-616.
For now, the question is how this film will bring Scorpion back since the villain has been MIA in the MCU for the better part of a decade. Mando's Mac Gargan has not been referenced or shown since Spider-Man: Homecoming.
With the story wide open in the early stages of shooting, having Scorpion back in the mix, particularly in full form, will be a breath of fresh air for the franchise.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
