It’s also a quick reminiscence of Sam Raimi’s horror roots, and thus, it’s a bummer that it wasn’t included in the final cut!

So, there was a deleted scene in Spider-Man 3, in which Sam Raimi seems to have paid homage to his horror roots by giving the audience a jump scare when a dramatic image of Venom appears in Peter Parker’s mirror. The scene in question took place just after Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man discovered his black costume.

Fans ascertained a brief deleted clip in which Peter sees a flash of Venom screaming in the mirror. Raimi clearly does not fully get the appeal of the antagonist Venom, as fans of the character are still upset about how the character was handled in Spider-Man 3. The director appears more at ease, employing Venom as a metaphor for Peter’s darker side, as the latter grows fixated on the strength and self-assurance the Symbiote costume bestows upon him.
Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man

Fan Outrage: Marvel’s Deletion of the Venom Scene in Spider-Man 3 Is a Major Mistake

Have you ever wondered what lurks in the deleted scenes of your favorite superhero flicks? True fans and film buffs alike may have been left wondering about the full potential of Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 3, as Marvel made a huge mistake by withdrawing a terrifying Venom scene from Tobey Maguire’s 2007 flick.

As evidenced by the deleted scene, Peter Parker was going to be subjected to far more severe symbiotic effects. Gazing into the mirror, Maguire’s character discovers that Venom is far closer to its final form.
Deleted Venom Scene in Spider-Man 3 (Image via YouTube)
This rare gem of a scene depicts a side of Peter Parker that teeters on the brink of darkness, brilliantly contrasted by a bone-chilling reflection in the mirror—a  Venom jump scare that pays homage to Raimi’s legendary horror pedigree. It is the type of moment that would have actually elevated the film’s eerie atmosphere (if included).

Although Venom’s appearance in Spider-Man 3 thrilled MCU fans, the deleted scene would have elevated the character’s persona to a whole new level. Let’s have a look at a few fans’ disappointed remarks (via YouTube):

“Wow, this scene justifies peters sudden phobia of the suit.” –@abioticspy9449

“This is what happens a great horror director makes an super-hero movie. I always love his horror touch to the original trilogy. It’s amazingly fit the tone.” -@Carneillon

“The original uncut version of this movie is said to be about 3 hours long. So there’s about an hour and a half of deleted footage.” -@gassug2

“There’s something scary about this Venom. It’s not even Venom. It’s not the symbiote. It’s Peter. It’s Peter trapped inside the symbiote. The symbiote isn’t screaming as Venom…Beautiful work from Raimi. A shame that it wasn’t kept in the movie.” – @java4656

“WHY WASN’T THIS KEPT IN THE MOVIE!?” – @JusticeTalkz

The biggest challenge Peter faces in the film comes when he bonds with an extraterrestrial symbiote that enhances his abilities but magnifies his anger and other negative traits.

Todd McFarlane’s View on Topher Grace & Tom Hardy’s Versions of Venom 

Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock in Venom
Todd McFarlane, the creator of Venom, likened Tom Hardy’s and Topher Grace’s interpretations of the character. In Spider-Man 3 (2007), Eddie Brock/Venom is portrayed by Topher Grace. Tom Hardy took on the role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), Venom (2018), and Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021).

The extraterrestrial symbiote and recurring antagonist of Spider-Man gained popularity, developed into a kind of antihero, and is currently the focus of a separate film series. However, McFarlane feels that drawing comparisons between Hardy and Grace’s portrayal of Venom is a little unfair, as stated in an interview with We Got This Covered:

“I don’t think it’s a direct comparison… The first movie was a Spider-Man movie, in which he was a villain, and you’re not supposed to root for the villain, right? And in that case, the villain, the bad guy, if you will, was that visually, I thought he could have been way more imposing… way more impressive.”

McFarlane acknowledged that Grace’s portrayal of the character lacked a certain physicality that would have made him a “more imposing” supervillain. Anyway, there is no denying that fans have favored Hardy’s portrayal of Eddie Brock, which led to the success of two incredibly popular flicks.

Stream Spider-Man 3 on Disney Plus.