SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY Star Michael Mando Says We've Only Seen "Level One" of Scorpion as He Teases "The Ultimate Form of Venom"
After spending years on the sidelines of the MCU, Michael Mando has finally returned as Mac Gargan in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and if the actor gets his way, this comeback is only the beginning.
Fans have been waiting since the post-credits scene of Spider-Man: Homecoming to see Scorpion get another shot at Spider-Man, and Brand New Day finally delivers on that long-awaited return. But according to Mando, we've barely scratched the surface of what the character could become, and he's already looking far beyond this movie.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Mando teased just how much bigger Scorpion's future could be in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, even hinting at one of the character's most memorable comic book evolutions.
"The potential growth of [Mac Gargan] is enormous. Brand New Day is level one of this character’s potential, and he has at least two or three levels up from here, one of them being the ultimate form of Venom."
Comic book fans know exactly what he's talking about. Scorpion first appeared in Spider-Man comics back in 1964. Mac Gargan started out as a private investigator before becoming one of Spider-Man's deadliest enemies thanks to a powerful armored suit equipped with his signature mechanical tail.
Years later, Marvel took the character in a very different direction when Gargan became the third host of the Venom symbiote, transforming him into one of the most savage versions of Venom ever seen in the comics.
Movie audiences have already watched Tom Hardy play Eddie Brock throughout Sony's Venom franchise, but Brock has yet to officially become part of the MCU. If Marvel ever decides to explore Venom within its own universe, Gargan's version could offer a completely different and much more ruthless take on the symbiote.
Mando originally debuted as Mac Gargan in Spider-Man: Homecoming, where the criminal crossed paths with Michael Keaton's Adrian Toomes, aka Vulture. After their illegal dealings landed both men behind bars, the film's post-credits scene teased a possible alliance and revenge against Spider-Man.
That setup left fans expecting Scorpion to play a much larger role going forward, but the character disappeared from both Spider-Man: Far From Home and Spider-Man: No Way Home. During that stretch, Mando was busy delivering one of television's standout performances in Better Call Saul.
Now that he's finally back in the Spidey franchise, Mando sounds excited about where Mac Gargan could go next. At the same time, he knows those decisions aren't his to make.
"That’s exciting to think about for a moment, but I’ve got to let it go because it’s in the hands of Kevin Feige and Amy Pascal. They know what they’re doing, and I have to trust that… I don’t try to predict my destiny in any way."
It's an interesting tease because Marvel suddenly has plenty of reasons to keep Scorpion around.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day has exploded out of the gate, shattering expectations with an incredible theatrical debut and delivering the biggest domestic opening weekend in U.S. box office history.
With that kind of momentum, it wouldn't be surprising if Marvel looked to expand the roster of villains and pay off story threads that have been waiting for years.
Whether that eventually leads to Mac Gargan becoming Venom remains to be seen, but it's certainly one of the coolest possibilities hanging over Spider-Man's future.
For longtime comic readers, watching Scorpion evolve into one of Venom's most dangerous hosts would be an awesome direction for the MCU to explore.