Tom Hardy has been spotted wearing a Spider-Man: No Way Home hat, sparking speculation that Venom might soon be joining the MCU.
Twitter user @MarvlUpdates posted the now-deleted photo of Hardy sporting the baseball cap with the Spider-Man: No Way Home logo on it. The tweet credited the Spider-Man Brasil account for the picture but stated that it originally came by way of director and stunt coordinator Lin Oeding on Instagram. He has reportedly now removed the post from his grid.
Tom Hardy in his ‘Spider-Man, No Way Home’ production hat.
(via: @SpiderManBRA) pic.twitter.com/XUI4hsCDM8
— Marvel Updates (@MarvlUpdates) September 17, 2021
There could be several reasons that Hardy is wearing a No Way Home hat without it necessarily meaning that Venom is headed for the MCU, however, it hasn't stopped fans from speculating over the possibility of Hardy's alien symbiote making an appearance in a future Marvel movie, perhaps even the next Tom Holland-led Spider-Man film.
One fan pointed out the hat Hardy is pictured wearing is the same one donned by "the cast and crew" of No Way Home whilst another suggested it was a very plausible idea that Venom would be featured amongst the film's rogue's gallery of villains, considering the first trailer teased a team-up of foes from past movies, like Doc Ock and Green Goblin.
Eddie Brock was previously a part of Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 3 back in 2007. The Marvel villain has since seen his own entirely separate franchise of films, which star Hardy as Brock, but have never crossed over with Holland's take on Spider-Man. Sony has, however, indicated that there is "actually a plan" to connect Sony's Spider-Man Universe to the MCU.
Sony's comments combined with a dark figure being spotted in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it section of the trailer have only fuelled rumors that Spider-Man's symbiote nemesis could be back to wreak havoc. A number of fans highlighted one particular frame that may show Venom's eye markings, though it could also signal the return of another classic Spidey villain.
Venom director Ruben Fleischer has said that Sony is "building towards" a confrontation between Tom Hardy's Venom and Tom Holland's Spider-Man, so it's not out of the question that this could be a cameo leading to something bigger. However, fans likely won't find out until No Way Home hits theaters this December.
Adele Ankers is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.