Tom Hardy is bidding farewell to Venom, but the Symbiote’s heavily-rumoredMCUdebut twists the story of oneThunderbolts*antihero in this shocking new theory. Following the upcoming release of Sony’sVenom: The Last Dance, Tom Hardy is expected to retire from the role of Eddie Brock, leaving Venom’s live-action future uncertain. However, there is speculation thatVenom will cross over into Marvel Studios' MCU, which creates many new opportunities for the alien Symbiote, especially when it comes to his choice of host.
Eddie Brock has been Venom’s only live-action host, whether that beTom Hardy’s character from Sony’s Spider-Man Universeor the version played by Topher Grace in 2007’sSpider-Man 3. In Marvel Comics, however,Venom attaches himself to many more characters than just journalist Brock, including the likes of Peter Parker, Mac Gargan, Lee Price, Malekith the Dark Elf and Flash Thompson. Venom bonding with Spider-Man bully Thompson saw the emergence of a powerful antihero, who has been theorized to join the MCU afterPhase 5’s highly anticipatedThunderbolts*movie.
Flash Thompson’s Agent Venom Future Hasn’t Been Teased In The MCU
Tony Revolori Plays Flash Thompson In The MCU
Following his time serving during the Iraq War and suffering the loss of his legs,Eugene “Flash” Thompson, now close friends with Peter Parker, made his debut as a militarized version of Venom in 2011’sThe Amazing Spider-Man #654.Under government control, Flash bonds with the Venom Symbiote to become Agent Venom, which allows him to walk again. Flash can only stay bonded to Venom for less than 48 hours at a time, but he uses this new power to become a Secret Avenger, a Thunderbolt, and even a Guardian of the Galaxy.
2016’sVenom (Vol. 3) #1revealed that Venom had somehow separated from Flash Thompson and found a new host with Lee Price. However, Flash later becomes Agent Anti-Venom, while the Venom Symbiote once again bonds with Eddie Brock.
Flash Thompson has been played by Tony Revolori in the MCU since 2017’sSpider-Man: Homecoming. He was initially shown to be Peter Parker’s bully who idolized Spider-Man, but he has grown closer to Parker over the years, though has now forgotten his old classmate along with the rest of the world.Flash’s spoiled and egotistical characterization in the MCU makes it very hard to imagine him joining the military and becoming Agent Venom, but a new theory suggests the perfect alternative has already been introduced.
John Walker Becomes Agent Venom After Thunderbolts*: MCU Theory Explained
John Walker Is The Perfect Agent Venom Candidate
While it might be unlikely that Revolori’s Flash Thompson bonds with the Venom Symbiote to become Agent Venom in the MCU, a theory shared byReddituser postfashiondesignersuggests that Wyatt Russell’s John Walker is the perfect man to take his place andreplace Tom Hardy as Venom’s new host.John Walker first appeared as the new Captain America inThe Falcon and the Winter Soldier. His dark turn evolved him into the antihero US Agent, however, which will see him make his next appearance as a member of the titular team in 2025’sThunderbolts*.
Ant-Man and the Wasp(2018)
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier(2021)
Olga Kurylenko
Black Widow(2021)
In Marvel Comics, Flash Thompson jumped at the chance to become Agent Venom after suffering huge mental and physical trauma.John Walker’s downfall inThe Falcon and the Winter Soldierand dark turn inThunderboltssets him up perfectly to take on this role, instead. He is broken, bored and frustrated with his life, andThunderboltswill surely only exacerbate this, as Walker doesn’t play well with others.While Walker never bonded with Venom in Marvel Comics, it would make sense to transform him into Agent Venom in the MCU.
Marvel Has Already Set Up Agent Venom’s MCU Debut
Venom Has Been Teased For The MCU Following Venom: The Last Dance
Thunderbolts*may be the perfect time to bring Venom into the MCU proper, particularly since this could set up a greater story for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker inMarvel Studios' upcomingSpider-Man 4. Tom Hardy has already suggested thatVenom: The Last Dance, scheduled to be released on October 25, will be his final movie as Eddie Brock for Sony. AfterSpider-Man: No Way Home’spost-credits scene teased a piece of Venom in the MCU, the stage is perfectly set for the Symbiote to have a much more varied career in the hands of Marvel Studios.
Thunderbolts*
Cast
Thunderbolts follows seven disillusioned individuals who find themselves trapped in a perilous situation. Tasked with a daunting mission, they must face the most shadowy aspects of their histories in order to survive and achieve their goals.
