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Are you ready to see Venom turn over a new leaf? Apparently the folks over at Columbia/Sony feel that way. However, don't look for Venom's new self-help initiative to involve a 12 step program to wean himself off human brains. Among other details about the long-rumored solo project for Spider-Man's evil symbiote-clad nemesis, the biggest bombshell dropped about the film so far, is that Venom will in fact be a GOOD GUY in the film.

What a difference a week can make in the development of a film. Just last week, we were told that the scribes behind the recently-successful Zombieland, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick would be working this script. Now, it seems that the job will go to Gary Ross (Pleasantville, Seabiscuit,) who will also likely have a director's chair waiting, as well. Ross, who is also currently re-writing the script for Sam Raimi's upcoming Spider-Man 4 after James Vanderbilt and David Lindsay-Abaire were initially tapped for the job, seems to be Team Columbia's favorite relief pitcher as of late. Additionally, Ross will be serving as a producer, alongside penultimate Marvel god, Avi Arad. The upcoming film will apparently attempt to portray the character of Venom in a new light. According to Variety:

"The Venom, an arch enemy of the web-slinger in the Marvel Comics series, will be transformed into an anti-hero who becomes a defender of the innocent."

Of course, the concept of Venom as a pseudo-vigilante is not new in the world of comics. For a time in the 90's, Eddie Brock's alter-ego, Venom, was known as "The Lethal Protector." In perhaps the most prominent storyline of that era, Venom turned up in San Francisco, where he ended up taking the cause of protecting a group of  homeless people from criminals. This resulted in finally finding acceptance among other people as he joined the group, who turned out to be an underground society descended from the great 1906 earthquake. (And yes, you read that correctly; Marvel retconned San Francisco's homeless issues.) However, that happiness would be short-lived as an evil foundation kidnaps him in an attempt to spawn more symbiotes for their own sinister uses. He eventually would count on the help of his old nemesis, Spider-Man to be rescued from their clutches.

Whether the film will be a variation of that particular storyline (minus Spidey's involvement,) remains to be seen. However, Variety did make the point in regards to its connection with the existing Spider-Man film franchise, that "the spinoff will start from the drawing board." ("PR to Fanboy" Translation: Reboot.) Therefore, the involvement of Spider-Man 3's Eddie Brock/Venom played by Topher Grace (who just now signed to be in another franchise update, Predators) seems more unlikely as each day passes.

Is this good OR bad news? Personally, I can only publish how much of a trainwreck I thought Spider-Man 3 became so many times before I wear myself out. Any change is good, I suppose. However, the fact remains, that Sony/Columbia holds the film rights to Spider-Man in perpetuity. (Which is kind of a long time. Well, technically, it means "forever.") What they do with the franchise IS going to happen whether we like it or not. Right now, we have the fourth (and likely final) Raimi Spider-Man film on the horizon, and now, this "solo reboot" film of the character who was just unceremoniously dispatched in THAT film's previous installment.

Oh, what a tangled web (pun intended) Columbia/Sony has weaved.

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