Venom is one Spider-Man’s most iconic and beloved adversaries, and over the last 35 years, a few elements of the character have become well-known staples, transcending most iterations. One of those staples is the person behind the Symbiote. While plenty of characters have bonded withthe Venom Symbioteover the years, including Flash Thompson, Mac Gargan, and even Deadpool, by far the most common and famous Venom host is Eddie Brock. But in a uniquely Insomniac Games twist,Marvel’s Spider-Man 2’s Venom won’t be Eddie Brock.
In a surprise appearance at Summer Game Fest, Insomniac Games' Creative Director Bryan Intihar took to the stage to reveal some brand-new concept art forMarvel’s Spider-Man 2and announce an July 09, 2025 release date. But that wasn’t the only thing Intihar revealed at Summer Game Fest. In a brief chat with host Geoff Keighley, Intihar confirmed thatMarvel’s Spider-Man 2’s version of Venom will not be Eddie Brock. While Intihar didn’t confirm who would be in the suit, there’s one possible host the game seems to be clearly pointing to, and one of the recently revealed pieces of concept art might confirm it even further.
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Venom’s Identity in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Seems Pretty Clear Already
For many fans, the identity ofMarvel’s Spider-Man 2’s Venomhas seemingly been clear for the last five years. During 2018’sMarvel’s Spider-Man, players learn that Harry Osborn has gone on a mysterious “trip” following a diagnosis of a sudden terminal illness. In the post-credits scene of the game, players find out that Harry had merely been hidden away in a secret lab inside of Norman Osborn’s penthouse apartment, left floating in a tank filled with green liquid, and an ominous black goo that seemed to move by itself. For long-time fans of Spider-Man, this black goo was immediately identifiable as a Symbiote, an alien parasite that leads to the creation of Venom.
In the post-credits scene ofSpider-Man: Miles Morales, Harry Osborn’s current situation is teased a little more, with Norman Osborn rushing into the lab to demand his son’s release, even against the advice ofDr. Curt Connors. As Norman approaches the glass, the Symbiote reaches out towards him, and covers the first-person camera completely, hinting that it’s bonded fully with Harry. For many fans, this was all the confirmation they needed that Harry Osborn would be Venom’s host inMarvel’s Spider-Man 2.
With Bryan Intihar himself announcing that Eddie Brock will not beMarvel’s Spider-Man 2’s Venom, it seems more likely than ever that Harry Osborn will be one inside the suit in this universe. Now there’s another piece of evidence that further hints at that outcome. One of the newly released pieces of concept art forMarvel’s Spider-Man 2shows off a fight between Venom, Peter, and Miles. In the bottom left corner of the screen, eagle-eyed fans will notice a billboard that reads “Emily & May Foundation.”
Though it seems unassuming at first, this billboard references two ofMarvel’s Spider-Man 2’s central characters. The “May” refers to Aunt May herself, and Emily refers to Harry’s mother, Emily Osborn, who died from the same illness that now threatens Harry. The placement of this billboard in this piece of concept art seems very intentional on Insomniac’s part, with it being the only clear piece of writing in the entire frame. If Insomniac wants fans to notice it, then it could be a clever, subtle hint towards the identity of Venom, with both Peter Parker, and Harry Osborn potentially being in the same frame. Or, if Insomniac truly wants to surprise fans, it could be Norman Osborn in the Venom suit, with all of the prior games' hints atthe Green Goblinbeing a red-herring.
Spider-Man 2launches October 20, exclusively for PlayStation 5.
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