For nearly three decades, Marvel fans have treated crossover speculation like its own cinematic sport. From whispered Comic-Con leaks to blurry set photos and post-credit scene breakdowns uploaded at three in the morning, the road to Avengers: Secret Wars already feels bigger than the film itself. And somewhere inside that multiversal chaos sits one character fans never expected would become central to the conversation: Venom as played by Tom Hardy.

Ever since that tiny symbiote fragment was left behind during the post-credit scene of Spider-Man: No Way Home, audiences have been treating it like Marvel’s version of a loaded Chekhov’s gun.

The biggest reason speculation exploded again in May 2026 is that multiple insider discussions and fan accounts began pointing toward a large-scale symbiote storyline inside Avengers: Secret Wars. One viral X post even excitedly declared that Kevin Feige wants Venom in Avengers: Secret Wars, and the internet predictably lost its mind. While Marvel Studios has not officially confirmed Hardy’s return, the consistent reports all orbit the same idea: Battleworld may become ground zero for a symbiote invasion, with Eddie Brock playing a major role in the conflict.

That possibility actually lines up with the deeper comic-book DNA of Avenger: Secret Wars. In the original 1984 comic event and especially the 2015 version by Jonathan Hickman, Battleworld functions as a collapsing patchwork reality where universes collide and surviving heroes are forced into uneasy alliances.

The Venom appearance is also possible, considering Marvel’s film adaptation is already rumored to feature returning multiversal figures from across Fox, Sony, and legacy Marvel continuities. Reports continue to point toward appearances from Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, members of the X-Men universe, and even potentially even Henry Cavil.

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And if Secret Wars truly becomes Marvel’s “everyone is here” event, leaving out Sony’s most commercially successful Marvel antihero would feel almost stranger than including him.

The most persistent rumor suggests Hardy’s Venom may lead or interact with a massive symbiote force across Battleworld. Fans familiar with comic arcs like “King in Black” immediately noticed how easily Marvel could borrow visual elements from that mythology without adapting it directly. Imagine shattered universes covered in living black matter, heroes consumed by symbiotes mid-battle, and Spider-Man forced into another encounter with the alien organism that has haunted Marvel lore for decades.

That last detail may be the most important. The lingering symbiote piece left in the MCU after No Way Home still has not paid off. Many fans believe Secret Wars could finally connect Tom Holland’s Spider-Man with Hardy’s Eddie Brock before Marvel eventually introduces a new native MCU version of Venom later. Reports also suggest this could serve as Hardy’s farewell performance as the character, effectively closing the loop that began with Venom. 

Whether Venom becomes a central player or simply arrives for one unforgettable multiversal showdown, the speculation alone proves how deeply Hardy’s version of Eddie Brock embedded itself into superhero culture. Fans now wait to see whether Marvel Studios finally cashes in the symbiote chip it quietly placed on the table years ago.

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What do you think? Should Tom Hardy’s Venom play a major role in Secret Wars? Share your take in the comments.