Avengers: Infinity War may introduce one fan-favorite Spider-Man costume, but Tom Holland has revealed Marvel and Disney are yet to discuss the black symbiote suit.

The MCU’s Spider-Man seems to don a different costume with every movie, largely because Peter Parker benefits from a close friendship with Tony Stark. That will lead Spider-Man to don the famous “Iron Spider” costume in Infinity War, and posters have even hinted that this suit will be made with Stark’s “Bleeding Edge” nannite technology. As popular as the “Iron Spider” costume may be, though, there is one other Spider-Man variant that fans are eager to see on the big screen. In 1984, Spider-Man donned a living costume known as a “symbiote.” This enhanced his powers and gave him a darker, edgier look. As the years passed, Marvel revealed that the symbiote was actually influencing Spider-Man, making him dangerously aggressive. Peter finally rejected the symbiote, which bonded with disgruntled reporter Eddie Brock to create Venom.

Speaking to Screen Rant at a press junket for Infinity War, Tom Holland revealed that the symbiote costume isn’t yet on Marvel’s radar. “The black suit hasn’t even been a discussion,” he observed. “It hasn’t, not in the Disney studio it hasn’t been discussed… Maybe it will be in the future. We don’t know.”

While this statement is sure to disappoint many fans, the reality is that it’s hardly a surprise. Although Spider-Man is now part of the MCU, the film rights to Spider-Man’s concepts and characters still sit with Sony. Sony, for their part, are interested in developing a series of Spider-Man spin-offs. It’s unclear whether or not these will be part of the wider MCU, “adjuncts” to the main story in the same way as the Marvel TV shows. But, given Sony are launching these spin-offs with Venom, it never seemed likely Marvel would be able to release their own symbiote saga.

There are strong rumors that Holland will cameo in Venom, but it’s only expected to be a brief appearance. The movie’s main villains are an organization known as the Life Foundation, renowned for their scientific prowess. There have been reports of a school trip scene to the Life Foundation, and it wouldn’t be hard for Sony to show Holland’s version of Peter Parker on that school trip. It’s unlikely Spider-Man himself will appear, meaning the symbiote’s origins will be very different. That will also effectively erase the rivalry between Spider-Man and Venom.

Holland insists viewers won’t be disappointed, though. Rather than focus on the suit he isn’t going to wear, he instead pivoted to talk about the “Iron Spider.”

Holland does have a point. Some viewers will no doubt be disappointed at the news that the symbiote costume won’t be worn by Holland’s Spider-Man, but it’s better to focus on what we are going to get. The “Iron Spider” costume looks stunning in trailers and TV spots. What’s more, with action figures confirming that the suit will possess its distinctive “stingers,” a lot of the costume’s key features are clearly being saved for the movie. Infinity War will give Spider-Man his most high-tech costume yet, with capabilities Peter Parker has never wielded before.

“The Iron Spidey suit I can say is pretty spectacular. Actually, the guys who did the CGI on it are amazing. Those artists who actually are the ones who sit in the computers and draw and do the beautiful stuff…they really, really knocked out in the park.”

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